These soft Maraschino Cherry Almond Cookies made with maraschino cherries and white chocolate chips are paired perfectly with a not-too-sweet cookie base. Also known as cherry chip cookies, they are as delicious as they sound and are the perfect crowd-pleasing cookie for entertaining or a cookie party.
They are so fun for Valentine's Day, but are neutral enough they work also work anytime of year, but feel like spring and summer to me.
These were inspired by our lemon crinkle cookies and would pair well with our strawberry white chip cookies, Sour Cream Cookies, S'Mores Cookies, and Cookie Monster Stuffed Cookies for a party. If I'm being honest, I just like to make them for myself ha! Like most cookies, these are super easy to make and are quick to whip up.
Jump to:
Why I Love This Recipe
Usually I only need to recipe test cookies a handful of times to get them just right. These I tested over and over and over again, making multiple batches each day (yes, I made myself sick!). I was determined to make a delicious dough with the perfect texture that wasn't too sweet since I was adding a lot of sweetness with the almond, cherries and white chips. Finally, I succeeded!
Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients needed for this recipe. Follow our tips on each ingredient for best results.
- butter - I used salted butter, if you use unsalted butter, you will want to add a pinch of salt extra.
- white sugar and brown sugar - I tested this recipe over and over to get the perfect blend of sugars and the right amount. It was important to me to create a cookie base that wasn't too sweet, since I knew I'd be adding maraschino cherries and white chocolate chips, both of which are very sweet.
- eggs - 2 eggs in this recipe to add volume without sweetness. It works! After many tries I figured out exactly what would work best.
- vanilla - I always use pure vanilla extract. Where vanilla isn't a highlighted flavor in this recipe, you can absolutely use imitiation.
- almond extract- I recommend a high quality almond extract. We found while testing this recipe that it did make a difference and that our taste testers could tell the difference.
- maraschino cherries - Maraschino cherries are the highlight of this cookie and I highly recommend buying a maraschino cherry that you love.
- flour, baking soda, salt - again, I tested this recipe extensively and found the perfect balance of flour, baking soda and salt for a great cookie!
- white chocolate chips -they are very sweet and go so well with the flavors of the cherries and almond.
Check recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Cherry Chip Cookies
First, preheat the oven to 350*F. Then cut the cherries. I like to keep the sizes random, so I cut some into eighths and some into fourths. Size doesn't matter here. Roll them in a paper towel to absorb the excess moisture.
2. Next cream the butter and sugars. Beat on medium speed in a bowl with an electric mixer or using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment. Beat until combined. Once combined, turn up the speed to high and beat for 4 minutes. Add the eggs and extracts and beat on high until well combined, about 30-60 seconds.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Either mix the dry ingredients in a bowl separately then add to the wet ingredients -or- add the flour first, then the baking soda and salt on top and give it a quick little mix with your (clean) fingertips. This will prevent the baking soda from clumping together. For that soft melt in your mouth texture, make sure to just baaaaaaarely mix once you've added the dry ingredients.
4. Add the white chocolate chips and the maraschino cherries and fold them in. This will help give that texture we love without over mixing. I will say that because of the added cherries, these cookies are easy to over mix, and over mixed cookies can be tough and hard.
5.Scoop about 1 ½- 2 Tablespoons sized cookie dough balls onto a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Bake at 350* F for 10 minutes. Bake until the tops are matte and the edges have set and are just starting to turn golden. Enjoy!
Hint: Lining your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat will make for easier clean up and help the cookies bake more evenly.
Substitutions and Variations
We love switching things up when we're in the kitchen. Try any of these variations for something a little different.
- dried cherries- add about ¾ cup of dried cherries instead of maraschino.
- Dark Chocolate Cherry- change the white for dark chocolate chips for that classic cherry and dark chocolate flavor. Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle over the tops.
- Cherry Vanilla Cookies- don't like almond? Ditch the almond and use 2 teaspoons vanilla instead of one.
- Cherry Chip Cookies- Use 1 cup cherry chips for a fun variation and a cherry chip cake type of flavor.
How to Serve Cherry Cookies
With their beautiful red color these are perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas or summer time. For Christmas, try using green white chocolate chips or stirring in some green sprinkles for a more festive look. Take to a cookie party or make these with your kids.
Storage
These store GREAT in the freezer. I like to put them in the freezer while they are still slightly warm. When reheated, they retain their soft and tender texture.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 8 seconds to get that soft texture back.
Do not over mix the dough once you add the dry ingredients. The texture is so much better when you keep mixing to a minimum after adding the dry ingredients. Fold in the maraschino cherries and white chips for best results and to reduce over mixing.
Recipe
Maraschino Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter I used salted
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 36 maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350* F
- Chop the maraschino cherries into quarters and eighths- variation is good! Roll in a paper towel to get rid of excess moisture.
- Cream butter and sugars. Beat together on high for 2 minutes, scrape down the sides. Add eggs, almond extract and vanilla extract and beat for 1 more minute. Mix in dry ingredients until juuuust combined- be careful not to over mix! Add maraschino cherries and white chocolate chips and mix briefly, again being very careful not to over mix. See pictures above for a visual on this.
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. The top of the cookie should be matte and the edges should be set.
Sue says
This is another of the recipes I have shared with my co-workers. They asked for more! I love them because they are so moist and they are different from other cookies I make.
Emily Flint says
I just love these almond cookies and the cherries and white chips go perfectly together. These were os easy to make and I'm already getting requests for more at work, LOL>
Renee says
I made these for valentine's day, with a slight switcheroo. Omitted the white chocolate chips, but everything else as written. After baking, I pressed a Dove dark chocolate heart into the top!
Valinda says
Just made these. Amazing! I did add 1/2 tsp of cherry extract because I was a little shy on the cherries. I used semi sweet chocolate chips. 9 minutes was the magic number in my oven. No artificial color was added. I used my medium scoop and it yielded 36 cookies exactly. Would make again. Thanks for the recipe!
Andrea says
Thanks for letting us know! I'm so glad you liked them!!!
Susie says
Absolutely delicious