Chewy Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Cherry season is the perfect time to bake a batch of Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies. These are classic chocolate chip cookies with a bright twist: chopped fresh cherries or maraschino cherries folded into the dough. The result is a soft, chewy cookie with slightly crisp edges and a pleasant tartness that balances the chocolate.

These cookies are simple to make and work well with fresh summer cherries or jarred maraschino cherries, depending on how pronounced you want the cherry flavor to be. They pair beautifully with a glass of milk, an afternoon coffee, or a summer picnic dessert. If you prefer a dairy-free or vegan version, swap the butter and chocolate chips for vegan alternatives and consider a flax egg substitute.

Recipe features

• Works with fresh, jarred, or maraschino cherries for different flavor profiles
• Classic chocolate and cherry combination that’s subtly tart and chocolaty
• Cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crisp edges when baked correctly

Ingredients

Butter – 1/2 cup unsalted, softened. If you use salted butter, reduce or omit added salt. Vegan butter can be used to make the recipe dairy-free.

Sugars – 3/4 cup brown sugar + 1/4 cup cane (or granulated) sugar for balanced sweetness and chewiness.

Egg – 1 large egg. To keep the dough egg-free, a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water, let sit 10 minutes) should work though it hasn’t been tested in this exact recipe.

Vanilla – 1 tsp vanilla extract for flavor depth.

Flour – 1 1/3 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.

Leavening and salt – 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter).

Chocolate – 1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark recommended). Use dairy-free chips to keep the cookies vegan.

Cherries – 1/2 cup cherries, pitted and roughly chopped. Fresh cherries give a subtle, bright flavor; jarred maraschino cherries are sweeter and more intense.

How to Make Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Step 1: Prepare cherries and oven. Pit and roughly chop the cherries. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Step 2: Cream butter and sugars. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and cane sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla, and mix for about one minute until well combined.

Step 3: Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until just combined—avoid over-mixing.

Step 4: Fold in chocolate and cherries. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped cherries by hand so they are evenly distributed without crushing the cherries.

Step 5: Portion and bake. Use an ice cream scooper or cookie scoop to form dough balls and place them at least two inches apart on the prepared baking sheet (the cookies spread). Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Erin’s Expert Tips

• Take the cookies out when they look slightly underbaked in the center; they will continue to set as they cool. This yields a soft, chewy middle with firmer edges.
• White chocolate chips or a mix of dark and milk chocolate will change the flavor profile nicely if you want a variation.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQs

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Ingredients (quick list)

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cane sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup cherries, pitted and chopped

Instructions (quick steps)

1. Pit and chop cherries; preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet.
2. Cream butter and sugars, add egg and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
3. Whisk dry ingredients together, then mix into the wet ingredients until just combined.
4. Fold in chocolate chips and cherries by hand.
5. Scoop dough onto baking sheet, bake 12 minutes, then cool on the sheet 3 minutes before transferring to a rack.