Description

Delight in these Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies featuring rich browned butter, sweet maraschino cherries, and decadent dark chocolate chips. The cookies have a perfectly chewy center with crispy edges, enhanced by a delicate balance of sweet cherries and bittersweet chocolate in every bite. Easy to bake and ideal for sharing or enjoying with a cup of tea or coffee.

Ingredients

Scale

Fruits

1 cup maraschino cherries (140g/5oz drained)

Butter

113 g unsalted butter (1 stick / ½ cup / 4oz)

Dry Ingredients

225 g plain flour (1 ¾ cups / 8oz)
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup white granulated sugar (135g / 4.8oz)
¼ cup light brown sugar (50g / 1.8oz)

Wet Ingredients

1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add-ins

1 cup dark chocolate chips (semi-sweet) (180g / 6.4oz)

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) or 350°F. Prepare two large baking sheets by lining them with baking paper for easy cookie removal and minimal sticking.
Prepare Cherries: Drain the maraschino cherries thoroughly and chop them into halves or quarters depending on size. Place on a couple of sheets of paper towel and gently press with another sheet to absorb any excess juice, ensuring cookies don’t get soggy.
Brown the Butter: Place the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Swirl occasionally as it melts and starts to bubble. Continue cooking until the butter foams and turns an amber brown color, infusing a nutty flavor to the cookies.
Cool the Butter: Slowly pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl, straining off any burnt solids. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes before mixing with other ingredients.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside for incorporation later.
Combine Sugars and Butter: Add both the white granulated sugar and light brown sugar to the browned butter and whisk vigorously until combined smoothly. Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, folding with a spatula using a gentle cutting motion until just combined, avoiding overmixing which can toughen the cookies.
Incorporate Cherries and Chocolate: Reserve a small handful of chopped cherries and chocolate chips separately. Add the remaining cherries and chocolate chips to the cookie dough and fold gently until evenly distributed.
Shape Cookies: Using a 3-tablespoon sized scoop, pack the dough tightly and form golf ball-sized dough balls. Place them spaced about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Don’t worry if bits fall off; just press them back onto the dough.
Top Cookies: Lightly press a few reserved chocolate chips and cherry pieces onto the top of each dough ball to create an attractive finish.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are golden and centers set. Immediately upon removal, optionally use a round cookie cutter to swirl around each cookie to shape them perfectly round.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the trays for a few minutes to set, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack using a spatula. The cookies will firm up as they cool, becoming crispy on the outside and chewy inside.
Enjoy and Share: Once cooled, enjoy these delicious cookies with family and friends. Don’t forget to leave a comment and rating if you enjoyed making this recipe—it’s appreciated and helpful!

Notes

Ensure cherries are well drained and patted dry to prevent sogginess in cookies.
Browned butter adds a rich, nutty flavor but watch it carefully to avoid burning.
Do not overmix dough once flour is added; overmixing can make cookies dense and tough.
Chilling the dough before baking is optional but can help cookies hold their shape better.
Use parchment or silicone baking mats for easiest cookie removal and cleanup.
Cookies will be soft when warm but firm up on cooling; store in an airtight container to keep freshness.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: cherry chocolate chip cookies, browned butter cookies, homemade cookies, holiday cookies, chewy cookies, sweet cherry cookies