The sweet and tart bite of cherries make these cherry chocolate chip cookies anything but ordinary! With crispy edges and chewy middles, these cookies are absolute perfection.
Cherry chocolate chip cookies are a lovely twist on traditional chocolate chip cookies. That little bite of cherry flavor is just such a fantastic complement to all of that chocolate!
Why You’ll Love This Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Perfect texture. These cookies have just a touch of crispiness on the outside, and the centers are so wonderfully soft and chewy. Exactly what you want in a chocolate chip cookie!
- Balanced flavor. Cherries add a tangy, sweet flavor that perfectly balances out the richness of the chocolate. It’s a match made in cookie heaven!
- Easy to make. This recipe is as simple as making any other chocolate chip cookie recipes, which means it’s a great option for beginner bakers or anyone looking for a quick treat.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for cookies.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – Learn more: Unsalted or Salted Butter: Which is Better for Baking?
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar – Why light brown sugar instead of dark? Learn more here: Light Brown Sugar vs Dark Brown Sugar: What’s the Difference?
- Eggs – Let these sit on the counter with the butter before you start the recipe; room temperature eggs are better for baking.
- Vanilla extract – You can use homemade vanilla extract or store-bought. Almond extract is a good choice, too.
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Freeze-dried cherries – Use sweet or tart, whichever you prefer.
Can I Substitute Regular Dried Cherries in this Recipe?
If you can’t find freeze-dried cherries, you can substitute regular dried cherries. Just keep in mind that the texture and flavor will be slightly different. Freeze-dried cherries are more crisp and have a stronger cherry flavor, while regular dried cherries are chewier and milder in flavor.
How to Make Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until they’re light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
- Combine wet and dry. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Finish the dough. Fold in the chocolate chips and cherries.
- Form the cookies. Scoop the dough by 3-tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Place the dough onto the prepared pans with 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake. One pan at a time, bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the centers are still slightly soft. Use a cookie spatula or a flat-bottomed glass to flatten the tops of the cookies while they’re still warm.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. (Learn more: Why Every Baker Needs Wire Cooling Racks)
Tips for Success
- Soften the butter. This is an important step in getting the perfect texture for your cookies. Make sure to leave the butter out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting the recipe. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
- Don’t over-mix. Once you add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mix just until combined. Over-mixing can result in tough and dense cookies.
- Don’t over-bake. Take the cookies out of the oven as soon as the edges are browned and the centers are a bit soft. That gives them the crispy outside-chewy inside texture we love.
- Let them cool completely. It can be tempting to dig into warm, freshly baked cookies, but resist the urge and let them cool completely before enjoying. This allows the flavors to fully develop and the texture to set.
Variations
- Adjust the size. I like to make these cookies large because of the size of the cherries. If you prefer smaller cookies, you should consider chopping the cherries so that they’ll work more nicely with a smaller size.
- Make them fruitier. You can also adjust the ratio of chocolate chips to cherries if you like. I prefer going a little heavier with the chocolate, but feel free to dial that back and add more cherries.
- Try another chocolate. Swap milk chocolate or white chocolate chips for semisweet. Or use a combination of a few different varieties.
How to Store
Place the cooled cookies in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
You can freeze these cherry chocolate chip cookies both before and after baking for up to 3 months.
To freeze the dough, scoop it into balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Bake them from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the bake time.
You can also freeze the baked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw them at room temperature or warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds.
More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Tart cherries make these easy cherry chocolate chip cookies extra special! With crispy edges and chewy middles, they're absolute perfection.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 & 1/2 cups (255g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (36g) freeze-dried cherries (sweet or tart, whichever you prefer)*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined or a few small streaks of flour remain.
- Gently stir in the chocolate chips and cherries.
- Scoop the dough by 3-tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Place onto the prepared pans, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
- Bake, one pan at a time, 15-18 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just browned and the centers are a bit soft. Use a cookie spatula or a flat-bottomed glass to flatten the tops of the cookies while they're still warm.
- Cool the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*Freeze-dried fruits are usually found alongside the dried fruits. As an alternative with a little different flavor and texture, you can use dried cherries.
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2 Comments on “Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies”
I just made these and they were delicious. I liked how big and thick they were. I rolled about 2 1/2 TB in a ball and did not flatten them, but they flattened slightly with baking. The dough was very thick and I was worried it was too much flour, but I kept spooning it in and it all came together. I cut back on white sugar to 150gms and did 75gms brown sugar. I added chopped dried cherries since that’s what I had.  I got 23 large cookies.  I also like that the recipe could easily be cut in half.  Thanks for a great recipe
I’m glad you liked the cookies, Laurel!