Maraschino Cherry Cookies Recipe (2024)

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These maraschino cherry chocolate chip cookies always bring the wow factor to any gathering or special occasion. What’s even better? They take just 10 minutes to prep and have a perfect pink color for a beautiful display.

These cookies are SO GOOD! I used cherry juice instead of almond extract and mini white chocolate chips, and made them extra big- 12 cookies a batch. Definitely making these again, boyfriend was obsessed too!
-Jenna

Cherry Cookies

I believe I have mentioned this before, whenever it’s one of my nieces or nephews birthdays, they get to pick what kind of cookie I make and mail to them. Pretty lucky, huh?!

Well one of my nieces doesn’t like chocolate… I know, I don’t understand – I live off chocolate. So I was giving her a few options of cookies I could make and one of the options was maraschino cherry cookies.

I got to work and made five test batches! Some of the batches were pretty funny looking – working with an add in like maraschino cherries can be hard because they have so much moisture. But I finally got the recipe just right!

The ones I mailed her didn’t have chocolate chips so you can definitely make these cherry cookies without the chips, but for us chocolate lovers, more chocolate the better!

The combination of maraschino cherries and chocolate chips reminds me of this delicious cherry cordial ice cream that the ice cream shop near our house has. I love the taste of cherry ice cream, especially if there’s chocolate!

The cherry flavor is on point. These pink cookies would also be fun for baby showers – especially for a baby girl!

We’ve also add these cookies to our cookie trays during the holidays. And we love gifting this easy recipe for valentine’s day.

Ingredients for Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions for making Cherry Cookies.

unsalted butter – Let the butter come to room temperature.
brown sugar – I recommend using light brown sugar for this recipe.
largeegg
vanilla extract
almond extract
pink gel food coloring – I recommend AmeriColor brand.
all purpose flour
baking soda
salt
maraschino cherries – Well drained & finely chopped.
semi-sweet chocolate chips – You can substitute or dark, milk or white chocolate chips.

I love the flavor the 1/8 teaspoon almond extract adds to this cookie recipe. Cherry-almond cookies were a match made in heaven!

How to Make Cherry Cookies

In a large bowl beat the softened butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer for 1 minute, or until combined.

Add in the egg and extracts, beat again.

Gel food coloring. Add in a small amount of pink gel food coloring and mix.
Add dry ingredients. In separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing by hand with a spatula.

Add-ins. Add in the finely chopped cherries and chocolate chips, mix by hand until combined. The batter will be thick.

Scoop. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls onto a silicone lined baking sheet or parchment paper. Press additional cherries and chocolate chips into the outside of the dough balls.
Bake for 14-16 minutes. Be sure not to over bake or the cookies will loose their pink color and turn brown.
Cool. Allow the cookies to cool to the touch on the baking sheet (about 15 minutes) then move them to a wire rack.

Cherry Cookie Baking Time

For the cherry chocolate cookies in the photos, the dough balls were about 3 heaping tablespoons, so that’s a large cookie!

I baked those for 14-16 minutes – just until the edge of the cookie would begin to turn golden. The result is a soft and chewy cherry chocolate chip cookie!

If you make smaller dough balls, you should reduce the baking time otherwise the cookies will be over done.

Time Required for Chocolate Cherry Cookies

10 minutes to make the cookie dough
14-16 minutes to bake the cookies
15 minutes to cool the cookies

Gluten Free Cherry Cookies

I have made these cookies multiple times with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour with great success.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Tips

Here are some tips and hints for perfect cherry cookies.

Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method.

You need 3/4 cup chopped & drained maraschino cherries. Plus an extra 2 tablespoons or so for garnish. 3/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries is about half a 16 oz jar.

Can you freeze maraschino cherry cookies?

Maraschino cherry cookies freeze beautifully! Wrap them in individual portions with plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment between the layers to keep them from sticking.

Freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

In the mood for more sweets? Learn how to add crumb topping to any muffin or try chocolate pudding pie!

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Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

By: Beth

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

▢ ½ stick unsalted butter, softened, 1/4 cup
▢ ¾ cup light brown sugar
▢ 1 large egg
▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
▢ ⅛ tsp almond extract
▢ Small amount of pink gel food coloring
▢ 1 ½ cups all purpose flour, 180 grams, properly measured
▢ ½ tsp baking soda
▢ ¼ tsp salt
▢ ¾ cup drained & finely chopped maraschino cherries, plus extra for garnish
▢ ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for garnish

Instructions

It's critical that you measure the flour accurately. Unknowingly adding too much flour will result in dry cookies.
The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method.
Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it. Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour. Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
Preheat the oven to 350º F.
In a mixing bowl beat the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer for 1 minute, or until combined. Add in the egg and extracts, beat again.
Add in a small amount of pink gel food coloring and mix.
In separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing by hand with a spatula.
Add in the finely chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips, mix by hand until combined. The batter will be thick.
Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls onto a silicone lined baking sheet. Press additional cherries and chocolate chips into the outside of the dough balls.
Bake for 14-16 minutes – be sure not to over bake or the cookies will loose their pink color and turn brown.
Allow the cookies to cool to the touch on the baking sheet (about 15 minutes) then move them to a cooling rack.

Video

Notes

I recommend using pink gel food coloring. Gel food coloring in very pigmented, meaning a little goes a long way. Using liquid food coloring in the dropper bottles will not result in the same bright pink color.

This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour too! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour.

Nutrition

Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Beth

I believe that everyone should have a go-to dessert to bring to parties! With hundreds of recipes, I'll help you find yours!

FAQs

What are the ingredients in maraschino cherries? ›

CHERRIES, WATER, CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, POTASSIUM SORBATE AND SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL COLOR (RED 40), SULFUR DIOXIDE (PRESERVATIVE).

Read On ›

What is the liquid in a jar of maraschino cherries? ›

Maraschino cherries are cherries that have been soaked in a brine solution, then drained and soaked in a solution of sugar syrup and Maraschino liqueur. The cherries are then packed in jars or cans and the juice that is left over is called maraschino cherry juice.

Tell Me More ›

Do maraschino cherries have red 40? ›

Red 40, also called Allura Red, is the most common food dye used in making maraschino cherries. It's derived from petroleum distillates or coal tars and regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ( 25 ). Red 40 has been shown to cause allergic reactions and hyperactivity in people with food dye sensitivities.

See Details ›

How are maraschino cherry made? ›

In their modern form, the cherries are first preserved in a brine solution usually containing sulfur dioxide and calcium chloride to bleach the fruit, then soaked in a suspension of food coloring (common red food dye is FD&C Red 40), sugar syrup, and other components.

Find Out More ›

Can maraschino cherries go bad? ›

According to Tracey Brigman, EdD, associate director of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, an unopened jar of co*cktail cherries can last for up to two years. “Once opened, they can keep for about 6 to 12 months, as long as they are continuously refrigerated during that time,” Brigman continues.

Tell Me More ›

Are maraschino cherries made with grenadine? ›

Contrary to popular belief, grenadine is not a cherry-flavored syrup. Maraschino cherries have nothing to do with it. This sweet-tart syrup is actually made from pomegranates, and it is surprisingly easy to make at home. Think of grenadine the way you might consider simple syrup and sour mix.

Read The Full Story ›

What bugs are in maraschino cherries? ›

Brined and maraschino cherries

An average of five percent or more cherries are said to carry maggots. Think about that next time you pop one into your mouth!

Read The Full Story ›

What can I substitute for maraschino cherry juice? ›

Alcohol Free Maraschino Cherry Substitute

1 cup organic unsweetened Black Cherry Juice (I used Lakewood Pure Black Cherry juice)
1 cup filtered water.
2 organic whole cinnamon sticks.
3 Tbsp lemon juice.
16 oz sweet red cherries pitted.
1 Tbsp pure almond extract.

Jul 5, 2019

What alcoholic drink has maraschino cherries in it? ›

And where there's maraschino liqueur, there should be a maraschino cherry.

Aviation co*cktail (Difford's recipe) With: Dry gin, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, creme de violette and lemon juice. ...
Casino. ...
Closing Argument. ...
Division Bell. ...
Dublin Minstrel. ...
Fancy Free. ...
King's Jubilee. ...
The Last Word.

More items...

Get More Info Here ›

Why are some maraschino cherries so expensive? ›

They are pricey because Luxardo uses marasca cherries, a particular type of cherry that's only grown in northeastern Italy. It's an uncommon variety and is therefore more expensive. Luxardo also uses high-quality ingredients and an age-old candying process, which pushes up the cost.

Know More ›

Is there a maraschino cherry tree? ›

Everything about Luxardo's maraschino cherry production is shrouded in secrecy. First, there's the highly protected variety of marasca cherry trees: acres and acres of them planted around the family estate in northern Italy, cultivated from Croatian sour cherry trees and owned exclusively by Luxardo.

Read On ›

Who invented the maraschino cherry? ›

What we can say is that Oregon is the birthplace of the modern maraschino cherry industry, for it was here that the process of making the preserved cherries was perfected. The father of the modern maraschino cherry was an Oregon State University professor named Ernest H. Wiegand (1886-1973).

Learn More ›

Are maraschino cherries the same as candied cherries? ›

Glace (candied) cherries are cooked in a sugar syrup until they are almost completely preserved and are then dried so that they are just slightly stickly. Maraschino cherries are instead stored in sugar syrup, are not cooked for such a long time and tend to be softer in texture.

Get More Info ›

Do maraschino cherries stay in your system? ›

Originally Answered: How long does it take for one maraschino cherry to digest? Easy answer: 14 - 52 hours. Digestion times are fairly regular by individual but vary from person to person. If something has not finished digesting in the time it normally takes you to digest something, it will simply pass in excrement.

Keep Reading ›

What are the ingredients in no name maraschino cherries? ›

Ingredients: Sugars (sugar/glucose-fructose), Cherries (sulphites),water, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Artificialflavour, Allura Red. May Contain Pits And/or Pit Fragments.

Can you get maraschino cherries without red dye? ›

These Silver Palate Maraschino cherries have no artificial colors, no red dye and no preservatives. Great in Coladas, Daiquiris, Slings, Sours and Collins.

Learn More Now ›

Are maraschino cherries made in a lab? ›

The modern "maraschino cherry"—that bright-red specimen spotted ubiquitously on grocery store shelves, in ice cream parlors, and across dive bars alike—was created in a lab.