Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies

May 26, 2008 (updated Nov 30, 2022) by Jennifer McHenry //

Deeply chocolatey and studded with chewy tart cherries, these double dark chocolate cherry cookies are a decadent treat sure to please any chocolate lover!

Chocolate cherry cookies on a white plate.

Somehow raisins have become the default dried fruit for adding to cookies, which is a shame for those of us with an aversion to them. (Yes, I count myself among the ranks of raisin haters.) Personally, I much prefer the flavor of dried cherries—especially in these double dark chocolate cherry cookies.

This recipe comes from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, which was also the inspiration for my butterscotch cashew bar recipe. I had the chance to sample Sweet Melissa’s talents in person when her patisserie was located in Brooklyn. The patisserie has since moved to New Jersey, but even though I’m no longer local, I’m glad I can still bake up a batch of double dark chocolate cherry cookies whenever the craving strikes.

Rich and sweet, yet tart. Sour cherries add a sweet-tart complement to the deep, dark, rich chocolate cookie base, creating a cookie that can only be described as decadent.
Soft and chewy. These cookies are soft and tender, with bits of chocolate and dried cherry in every bite.
A chocolate lover’s dream. These cherry cookies are made with both semisweet chocolate chips and cocoa powder. If you’re craving something chocolate, cherry chocolate cookies are just the thing!

overhead view of ingredients for double dark chocolate cherry cookies

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

All-purpose flour – Reading this post on how to measure flour will help you get the best results with this recipe.
Dutch-process cocoa powder – Dutch-process cocoa is key to the dark color of these cookies.
Baking soda
Kosher salt
Unsalted butter – This should be softened to room temperature. Learn more by checking out unsalted or salted butter: which is better for baking?
Granulated sugar
Dark brown sugar – Learn more by reading up on light brown sugar vs dark brown sugar: what’s the difference?
Egg – The egg should also be room temperature.
Vanilla extract – Use store-bought or homemade vanilla extract.
Semisweet chocolate chips
Dried sour cherries – Dried sour cherries can usually be found in grocery stores near the raisins and dried fruits. As an alternative, they can be purchased online at Nuts Online and Oh Nuts, among others.

Adding chocolate chips and cherries to a bowl of chocolate cookie dough.

Can I Substitute Dark Chocolate Chips for Semisweet Chocolate Chips?

Yes, you can substitute dark chocolate chips for semisweet chocolate chips in this recipe, as well as most others. Semisweet chocolate chips actually are dark chocolate; the chocolate chips labeled as dark chocolate typically have a higher percentage of cocoa solids and less sugar when compared with semisweet, though.

Plate of 6 double dark chocolate cherry cookies.

How to Make Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies

These cookies are quite easy to make, but you’ll need to factor in the chilling time when planning your baking. The dough needs to chill twice; once for a few hours, and then for an hour more.

Dry ingredients in a mixing bowl before combining. — Mix the dry ingredients together.

Overhead view of butter, brown sugar, and sugar in a glass mixing bowl. — Mix the dry ingredients together.

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl, beating for about 3 minutes or until the mixture is fluffy. Then, beat in the egg, followed by the vanilla.

Cocoa powder added to creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. — Add the dry ingredients to the wet in portions.

Chocolate cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl. — Add the dry ingredients to the wet in portions.

Finish the dough. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three portions, mixing each until just incorporated. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips and cherries.
Chill. Place the mixing bowl in the refrigerator and chill the dough for a few hours, or until it’s firm.

Logs of chocolate cherry cookie dough. — Roll the cookie dough into logs and chill them.

Chocolate cherry cookies on a baking sheet, before baking. — Roll the cookie dough into logs and chill them.

Form the dough into logs. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and divide it in half. Roll each half into logs about 12 inches long and 1 & 1/4 inches in diameter. Chill for another hour.
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Cut the cookie dough. Cut the chilled dough into 1-inch-thick slices. Place the cookies 1 & 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Overhead view of dark chocolate cherry cookies on a baking sheet. — Bake the cookies until they’re just barely done.

Overhead view of double dark chocolate cherry cookies on a wire rack. — Bake the cookies until they’re just barely done.

Bake the cookies. Bake one pan at a time for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies look just baked.
Cool. Set the pans on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies from the pan directly to the wire rack to finish cooling. (Learn more: Why every baker needs wire cooling racks.)

Stack of cherry cookies on a plate with a bowl of cherries in the background.

Tips & Recipe Variations

Don’t skip the chilling. It’s one of the most important steps to keeping cookies from spreading.
Turn the logs of dough as you cut them. This will help keep the bottom of the log from flattening. Simply rotate the log a quarter turn each time you make a cut.
Don’t reuse the same baking sheet. Or, if you don’t have enough baking sheets to use a new one for each batch, make sure the baking sheet cools between batches. This will also help prevent spreading, as well as burnt bottoms.
Swap out the dried cherries. The cherries aren’t that prevalent in this recipe; if you’d like more, then definitely add more. Or, if you’re not excited about them, leave them out all together or substitute another dried fruit like cranberries or chopped apricot.

Chocolate cherry cookies on a wire cooling rack.

Proper Storage

Room temperature. Store double dark chocolate cherry cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
Freezing baked cookies. You can freeze baked cherry cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw them at room temperature, or warm them up in the microwave.
Freezing unbaked cookies. Alternatively, the unbaked dough can be frozen for a month if wrapped well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. It can be frozen in a log, or you can freeze the dough after slicing it so you can bake just a cookie or two to satisfying a craving. Simply add a few additional minutes to the original baking time.

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