Description
Indulge in decadent Chocolate Cherry Cookies – the perfect treat for any occasion! Discover the recipe now.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed for deeper flavor)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (175g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (160g) dried cherries (or 1 cup drained and patted dry maraschino cherries)
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon almond extract for enhanced cherry flavor
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients and Equipment Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This preparation ensures you’re ready to bake as soon as your Chocolate Cherry Cookie dough is mixed. Allow refrigerated ingredients like butter and eggs to reach room temperature for optimal incorporation.
- Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This thorough mixing ensures the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed throughout your cookies, preventing any bitter spots or uneven rising. The cocoa powder should be sifted if it contains lumps for the smoothest chocolate base.
- Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter for about 1 minute until creamy. Add both granulated and brown sugars, then beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This extended creaming process incorporates air into your dough, creating that perfect cookie texture.
- Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients Beat in the eggs one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla extract (and almond extract if using). These flavoring elements enhance both the chocolate depth and cherry brightness in your Chocolate Cherry Cookies.
- Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Overmixing at this stage can develop too much gluten, resulting in tough rather than tender cookies, so stop as soon as no flour streaks remain.
- Step 6: Fold in Chocolate and Cherries Gently fold in the chocolate chips and prepared cherries using a rubber spatula. This careful folding distributes the add-ins evenly while preserving the air you’ve incorporated into the dough. For picture-perfect cookies, reserve a small handful of both to place on top before baking.
- Step 7: Bake to Perfection Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still appear slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, giving you that ideal chewy center in your Chocolate Cherry Cookies.
- Step 8: Cool and Enjoy Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period helps them firm up enough to move without breaking while retaining their perfect texture.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 50mg