Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies (Print version)
Soft, chewy cookies bursting with chocolate chips and chopped maraschino cherries for a fun, colorful dessert.
# What you'll need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
06 - ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Add-ins
09 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 - 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry, and chopped
11 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
# Method:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped maraschino cherries by hand using a rubber spatula. Add the chopped nuts if using.
07 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers should still appear slightly soft.
09 - Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The cherries create little pockets of chewy sweetness that surprise you in every other bite, almost like hidden candy.
- They look downright festive without any extra effort, which makes them perfect for gift plates or potlucks where you want to seem more impressive than you actually are.
02 -
- Soggy cherries will wreck your dough, so drain them well and press them between paper towels like you are trying to squeeze every last drop out.
- Underbaking by about one minute on purpose gives you that soft bakery style center that stays chewy even the next day.
03 -
- Chill the dough for thirty minutes if your kitchen is warm or if the butter was softer than it should have been, because cold dough spreads less and bakes thicker.
- Rotate the baking sheets halfway through the bake time for even browning, since most ovens have hot spots you never notice until one side of every cookie is darker.