Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip

The kitchen smelled like a bakery had collided with a candy shop, and honestly I was not mad about it. Maraschino cherries were not something I grew up baking with, but one winter afternoon I found a forgotten jar in the back of the pantry and tossed the chopped bits into a basic chocolate chip cookie dough on a whim. The result was absurdly good, soft and pink flecked with pools of melted chocolate, and I have been making them every holiday season since. They disappear from cookie trays faster than anything else I bake.

I brought a batch to a potluck once and watched a friend eat six of them standing up before even taking her coat off.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter (1 cup, softened): Room temperature butter creams properly and gives you that light, fluffy base every good cookie needs.
• Granulated sugar (3/4 cup): Helps the edges crisp slightly while the brown sugar keeps the centers chewy.
• Packed light brown sugar (3/4 cup): The molasses here is what gives these cookies their soft, bendable texture.
• Large eggs (2): Bind everything together and add richness to the crumb.
• Pure vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): A generous amount complements both the chocolate and the cherry flavors beautifully.
• All-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups): Measure by spooning into the cup and leveling off to avoid dense cookies.
• Baking soda (1 teaspoon): Gives just enough lift without making them cakey.
• Salt (1/2 teaspoon): Balances the sweetness from the cherries and the sugars.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup): You could use dark chocolate too, but semi-sweet lets the cherry flavor come through more.
• Maraschino cherries (3/4 cup, drained, dried, and chopped): Pat these dry with paper towels thoroughly, because wet cherries turn dough gummy.
• Chopped walnuts (1/2 cup, optional): Add a welcome crunch, though pecans work nicely too if that is what you have.

Instructions

Preheat and prepare:

Set your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper so nothing sticks.

Cream the butter and sugars:

Beat the softened butter with both sugars until the mixture looks pale, fluffy, and like something you want to eat with a spoon.

Add eggs and vanilla:

Drop in one egg at a time, mixing after each, then pour in the vanilla and let the mixer run until everything is smooth and fragrant.

Whisk the dry ingredients:

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt with a whisk so the leavening is evenly distributed.

Combine wet and dry:

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, mixing just until the white streaks disappear so you do not overwork the dough.

Fold in the fun stuff:

Gently stir in the chocolate chips, chopped dried cherries, and walnuts with a spatula until evenly scattered throughout.

Scoop and arrange:

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the sheets about two inches apart, giving each cookie room to spread into its own little circle.

Bake:

Slide them into the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, pulling them out when the edges are golden but the centers still look slightly underdone.

Cool properly:

Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for five minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling and firm up.

Save

My neighbor stopped by one evening when I had a fresh batch cooling on the rack, and we ended up sitting on the kitchen floor eating warm cookies and talking until midnight.

Freezing and Storing

These cookies freeze beautifully in an airtight container for up to two months, though I usually double the batch because the frozen ones get snacked on within a week anyway.

Making Them Your Own

Swap the walnuts for pecans, skip the nuts entirely, or try dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet for a more intense flavor.

Tools That Make It Easier

A stand mixer saves your arm when creaming butter, but a hand mixer works just fine if that is what you have. Parchment paper is nonnegotiable in my kitchen for even baking and easy cleanup.

• A cookie scoop gives you uniform rounds that bake evenly.
• Keep a separate small bowl for draining and pressing the cherries dry.
• Always let the baking sheets cool between batches so the dough does not spread too fast.

Save

Every time I bake these, someone asks for the recipe, and that is honestly the highest compliment a home baker can get.

Questions & Answers

→ Why should I dry the maraschino cherries before adding them?

Drying the cherries prevents excess moisture from making the dough soggy. Pat them thoroughly with paper towels after draining to ensure proper texture and even baking.

→ Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino?

Fresh cherries release too much juice during baking. Maraschino cherries work best because they're preserved and don't add excess moisture. If using fresh, consider macerating them first or reducing other liquid ingredients.

→ How do I know when the cookies are done baking?

The edges should be golden brown while centers appear slightly set but still soft. They continue cooking on the hot baking sheet, so removing them when slightly underdone yields perfectly chewy results.

→ Can I freeze the dough instead of baked cookies?

Yes, scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time. This lets you enjoy fresh-baked treats whenever desired.

→ What's the best way to store these cookies?

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze in freezer bags for up to two months. Separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

→ Can I substitute the chocolate chips?

White chocolate chunks, butterscotch chips, or dark chocolate pieces all work beautifully. The sweet-tart cherries pair especially well with white chocolate or milk chocolate varieties.