Amazing 30-Minute chocolate cherry cookies

I don’t know about you, but when a real craving hits, nothing short of something deeply satisfying will do. Forget those dry, sad little biscuits—I’m talking about that rich, fudgy experience that tastes like a fancy bakery made it just for you. Well, guess what? I figured out the secret to getting that perfect, bakery-style texture right here at home. I’m Alex Hayes, and when I was burned out on spreadsheets, finding the pure joy in simple recipes like these incredible chocolate cherry cookies was my breakthrough. If you love my take on those classic treats, you absolutely have to check out my tips for making the best homemade chocolate chip cookies too!

This recipe is exactly what my philosophy is all about: serious flavor without unnecessary stress. We are blending deep cocoa with pops of sweet cherry to create something truly decadent. You deserve cookies that feel luxurious, and I promise these deliver that rich, chewy moment every single time. Let’s get baking!

Why These Are the Best Chocolate Cherry Cookies You Will Make

I promise you, if you follow these instructions, these chocolate cherry cookies are going to blow your mind. They hit every note the best cookies should—chewy edges, a fudgy center, and that intoxicating mix of dark chocolate and bright cherry that reminds me of a Black Forest cake! And the best part? They are so straightforward; no chilling dough required!

Here’s why I think this recipe stands out above the rest. If you’re looking for more supremely chewy reads, my guide to iced oatmeal cookies is another winner!

• They capture that amazing Black Forest flavor profile we all love.
• They are incredibly fast—ready in about 30 minutes total!
• They achieve that coveted, slightly gooey interior texture.

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Achieving the Perfect Chewy Texture in Your Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Texture is everything when it comes to a great drop cookie, right? We fight hard against cakey cookies here! The key is honestly in the sugar distribution. By using more brown sugar than white, we keep things soft and moist because brown sugar loves holding onto water. Another huge secret is pulling them out when they still look a touch soft in the very center. Don’t panic! They firm up beautifully on the hot pan while they rest, giving you that perfect, satisfying chew.

Gathering Ingredients for Irresistible Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Okay, the supplies! Every amazing cookie starts with grabbing the right stuff. I’ve listed everything out below, but I really need you to pay attention to the prep required for those cherries. Trust me on this one; it makes a difference in keeping our dough the right consistency, which is vital for those soft, chewy chocolate cookies we are aiming for.

If you’re planning on making these when maple season hits, you should check out my maple brown sugar cookies recipe too! Here’s what you need for this batch (this makes about two dozen beautiful cookies):

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened—make sure it’s soft but not melty!
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar—packed tightly into the cup!
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs—room temperature is always best, if you can swing it.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (I love this addition; it just gives the cherry flavor an extra little kick!)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder—this is where the deep chocolate comes from!
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried tart cherries, roughly chopped—these bring that authentic, slightly tart flavor.
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained well and patted very dry—Seriously, pat them dry like you mean it!

That final step with the maraschino cherries is crucial. Excess liquid from those bright red guys can make your dough too wet and spread out into thin, sad puddles in the oven. We want thick, happy domes, so grab a paper towel and get blotting!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Chocolate Cherry Cookies

We’re finally at the fun part! Honestly, baking these chocolate cherry cookies is simple, but technique matters if you want that signature chewy bite. We move pretty fast here—no chilling time needed, which is the best news for a sudden dessert craving! Just make sure your oven is ready to go before you mix everything.

First things first, get your baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and get the oven warming up to 350°F (175°C). This prevents any sticking disasters later on, and putting parchment down saves cleanup time—that’s pure joy right there!

If you love cookies that taste like they came from a professional bakery, you might want to look at my coffee cake cookies for a quick afternoon treat later!

Mixing the Dough for Rich Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Start by creaming that softened butter with both the brown and white sugar until it looks light and fluffy. This step incorporates the air we need for good structure, so don’t rush it! Next, beat in your eggs one by one until they’re fully incorporated, followed by our flavor boosters, the vanilla and almond extracts. Now, in a separate bowl, whisk your dry stuff: flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

This is crucial: when you combine the wet and dry bowls, add the dry mixture in slowly, mixing on low speed. As soon as you see *just* combined, stop the mixer! Overmixing develops gluten, and gluten equals cakey, not chewy! After that, gently fold in those chocolate chips and the dried tart cherries. Finally, carefully fold in those dried-off maraschino cherries we prepped earlier for the best chocolate cherry cookies.

Baking and Cooling Your Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your prepared sheets, leaving about two inches between them because they will spread just a bit. Pop them into that preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. You’re looking for the edges to look set, almost firm, but the middle should still look a little soft or even slightly underdone. That’s your ticket to chewy perfection!

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Don’t be tempted to move them right away! Let them sit right there on that hot baking sheet for a full five minutes. This resting period helps them finish setting up without becoming tough. After that five minutes, carefully move them over to a wire rack to cool completely. If you try to move them sooner, trust me, they will fall apart!

Expert Tips for Next-Level Chocolate Cherry Cookies

I’m Alex, and sharing these little insider secrets is what I love most about this space. We’ve nailed the basic bake, but if you want these chocolate cherry cookies to go from great to absolutely unforgettable, pay attention to these finer points from the recipe notes. These details are what separate a good homemade cookie from one that disappears instantly at the holiday cookie exchange.

My biggest learning curve involved the cherries. I learned the hard way that even after draining the maraschino cherries, they still carry so much water! I once rushed that step, and the cookies spread into chocolate puddles. Now, I actually place them between two thick layers of paper towels and press down harder than I think necessary. If you want that fudgy brownie cookie feel, dryness is your friend for the wet inclusions!

For more baking confidence, keep my guide on the best moist red velvet cake recipe handy—it uses similar principles for texture control!

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Ingredient Substitutions for Chocolate Cherry Cookies

We love flexibility in the kitchen, right? While this particular chocolate cherry cookie recipe is perfect as written, I totally get it if you need to make a swap. You have options!

• Chocolate Power: If you’re a true dark chocolate devotee, switch out that semi-sweet chocolate for chopped dark chocolate bars, focusing on 60% to 70% cacao. It deepens that indulgent flavor beautifully.
• Cherry Choice: Can you use fresh cherries? Technically yes, but you MUST cook them down first into a THICK jam-like consistency. Fresh cherries have too much water and will ruin the structure we worked so hard to achieve in the mixing stage. Dried tart cherries are usually easiest, but if you only have dried sweet cherries, maybe add just a tiny splash of lemon juice to balance the sweetness.
• Extracts: The almond extract is there to enhance the cherry—it’s subtle! If you are strongly against nuts or extracts, skip it entirely. The cookies will still be delicious, just slightly less complex in flavor.

Remember the golden rule: if you are adding moisture, you need to compensate elsewhere, or you risk losing that perfect chewy texture we are aiming for!

Making These Black Forest Cookies Ahead of Time

I know life gets busy, especially when you’re juggling holiday baking or trying to prep for a big party where you want those homemade treats ready to go. The good news is that these rich chocolate cookies freeze like a dream! Planning ahead is part of finding that pure cooking joy, not adding stress to it.

You have two great options here: freezing the baked cookies or freezing the raw dough. Both methods keep them tasting incredibly fresh, so pick whichever suits your schedule best. For more make-ahead inspiration, check out my guide for Christmas sugar cookie bars!

Freezing the Raw Dough

If you want those warm, gooey cookies fresh out of the oven when company arrives, freezing the dough balls is the way to go. Once you’ve scooped your dough rounds—remember, keep them uniform so they bake evenly—place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure they aren’t touching!

Pop that sheet into the freezer until the dough balls are completely solid. This usually takes an hour or two. Once solid, transfer them into a heavy-duty freezer bag or an airtight container. You can store them like this for up to three months. When you want to bake them, just pull what you need, leave them on the counter for about 15 minutes to take the deep chill off, and bake them straight from the freezer—you might just need to add a minute or two to the baking time.

Storing Baked Cookies

If you baked a big batch ahead of time (smart move!), storage is really simple since these are wonderfully dense, almost like a fudgy brownie cookie. Once they are completely cool, store them in a single layer (if possible) in an airtight container at room temperature.

They’ll stay wonderfully fresh for about four or five days this way. If you stacked them, make sure to put a sheet of parchment or wax paper between the layers just to keep things tidy and prevent any sticking between the chocolate tops and bottoms. Don’t bother putting them in the fridge; that cold air tends to dry out cookies faster, which is the exact opposite of the chewy texture we worked so hard to achieve!

Serving Suggestions for Your Decadent Chocolate Cherry Dessert

Honestly, once you pull these rich chocolate cherry cookies out of the oven, the hardest part is waiting for them to cool down enough to eat! But when you do take that first bite, you want the whole experience to be perfect, right? Since these are so decadent and fudgy, they pair wonderfully with things that cut through the richness or lean into that dessert indulgence.

If you are feeling extra celebratory, perhaps you’ve already made my recipe for boozy hot chocolate—that dark mocha depth is incredible alongside these cookies!

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Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve these up:

• The Classic Pairing: A tall, ice-cold glass of whole milk. There is just something about simple, cold dairy that cleanses the palate between bites of deep chocolate.
• Elevated Dessert: Serve a cookie slightly warmed (just 10 seconds in the microwave!) topped with a small scoop of really good vanilla bean ice cream. The contrast between the warm cookie and the cold creaminess is heaven.
• Coffee Break: These are robust enough to stand up to a strong cup of coffee. If you prefer something cold, an iced latte works perfectly beside this rich flavor profile.
• For Gifting: If you are packaging these up for a holiday cookie exchange, a simple bow on a decorative tin is all you need, but adding a small packet of high-quality cocoa mix with them makes the gift feel extra thoughtful.

They are perfect all on their own for a quick afternoon treat, but taking just one extra minute to pair them elevates them into a true, unforgettable dessert!

Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Cherry Cookies

It’s totally normal to have a few questions when you’re trying a new recipe, especially when you want that perfect texture! I’ve pulled some of the things I get asked most often about these wonderful chocolate cherry cookies right here. If you’re wondering about substitutions or how they hold up for gifting, I’ve got you covered below!

If you end up wanting to decorate them after all, don’t forget to check out my killer recipe for cookie icing!

Can I use fresh cherries instead of dried or maraschino cherries?

This is a big one! You absolutely can use fresh cherries, but you have to put in some extra work first. Fresh cherries have tons of liquid, and if you just toss them in, they’ll water down your dough, leading to flat, cakey cookies. If you use fresh, pit them, roughly chop them, and then simmer them gently in a small saucepan with perhaps a teaspoon of sugar until the mixture thickens up significantly—we’re talking jam-like! Let that mixture cool completely *before* adding it to the dough. This prevents them from leaching moisture into your beautiful cookie structure.

Why did my chocolate cherry cookies turn out flat and thin?

When cookies go flat, nine times out of ten it comes down to two things: your butter was too warm, or you overmixed the flour. If your butter is melted or greasy instead of just soft, the structure collapses early in the oven. Also, remember what I said about mixing the flour? Stop as soon as it disappears! If the dough looks too soft before baking, chilling it for 30 minutes will help firm up the fat again, which prevents excessive spreading.

Are these cookies sturdy enough for a Christmas cookie exchange?

Yes, they are fantastic for exchanges! Because these cookies have a nice density—they aren’t airy or delicate like a meringue—they travel and stack very well. They have that fudgy brownie-cookie quality, which holds up nicely in containers. They always get rave reviews because they feel so much more decadent than the standard chocolate chip cookies people usually bring!

Can I skip the almond extract?

Of course! The almond extract is totally optional, but I highly recommend trying it if you can. It doesn’t make the cookie taste like almonds; instead, it just brightens the flavor of the cherries, giving it that true Black Forest vibe. If you skip it, the cookies are still profoundly rich and chocolatey, just slightly less complex in the fruit department.

Estimated Nutritional Breakdown for Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Look, I’m a baker, not a biochemist, so take these numbers with a grain of salt—or maybe just a dash of sugar! But just like I want you to trust my baking ratios, I feel it’s only fair to give you a general idea of what’s in these incredible chewy chocolate cookies. Since we are working with butter, sugar, and cocoa, they are definitely meant as an indulgence, not an everyday snack!

This information is based on the recipe yielding 24 servings, using standard ingredient measurements. These are estimates, of course, as the exact sizes of your eggs or how much you pack that brown sugar can change things slightly. But this gives you a fantastic baseline!

Here is a snapshot of what you’re looking at per cookie:

• Calories: 210
• Sugar: 18g (That’s where the joy comes from!)
• Fat: 11g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 35mg

I always say, if you’re going to bake something this delicious, you might as well enjoy it fully! Don’t worry about tracking every single gram; just bask in the fact that you made something truly decadent from scratch. That feeling of accomplishment is way more valuable than counting calories, in my book!

Share Your Homemade Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Well, we made it! You’ve got the technique, you’ve got the ingredients, and now you have the most irresistible batch of chocolate cherry cookies cooling on the rack. Seriously, I’m so proud of you for tackling this recipe. I know I say this all the time, but taking the time to create something delicious with your own hands—whether it’s a loaf of bread or a perfect cookie—is where that pure joy comes from.

Now, the final, most important step is sharing the results! I absolutely live for seeing what you all create in your kitchens. Did they come out perfectly chewy? Did you use dark chocolate chips like I suggested? I want to hear every detail!

Please take a moment to leave a rating and review right here on the recipe page. Those little stars really help other home cooks who are maybe a little nervous about trying a new bake build their confidence. It tells me instantly that the recipe is working for everyone!

And if you snapped a gorgeous photo of your cooled, decadent cookies, please tag me on social media! I’d love to see your beautiful creations and perhaps feature them on the blog or our page. You can share all your baking triumphs over on our Facebook page at Facebook. Even if you just want to peek at what everyone else is whipping up, head over there!

Let’s keep that cooking joy spreading! If you want to see more of my latest recipes, tips, and general kitchen ramblings, you can always check out the main blog. Happy baking, friend—I hope these chocolate cherry cookies bring a huge smile to your face!

Irresistible Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies

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Make these rich, chewy chocolate cherry cookies that taste like a decadent Black Forest treat. This easy recipe delivers big flavor perfect for holidays or any day you need a satisfying homemade dessert.

• Author: purejoyalex
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 12 min
• Total Time: 32 min
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional, for depth)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried tart cherries, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained well and patted very dry

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts, if using.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and the dried tart cherries.
7. Take the drained maraschino cherries and gently fold them into the dough. Be careful not to crush them too much.
8. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers should still look slightly soft for a chewy texture.
10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• To ensure your cookies are chewy and not cakey, make sure you do not overbake them. The center should look slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven.
• Patting the maraschino cherries completely dry with paper towels prevents excess moisture from affecting the cookie dough structure.
• For an extra decadent, bakery-style cookie, use high-quality dark cocoa powder.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 210
• Sugar: 18g
• Sodium: 110mg
• Fat: 11g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 35mg