Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Name: Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the good stuff, not the dusty tin from 2008); 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 3/4 cup packed brown sugar; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk (the yolk makes them extra fudgy); 2 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well-drained and patted dry; 12-15 whole maraschino cherries for topping; 1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips; 1 tsp vegetable oil or coconut oil (makes it smooth and drippy)

By Tyla | Last modified on Nov 12, 2025

Featured in: Desserts

Alright, so imagine if a brownie and a chocolate-covered cherry had a baby, and that baby grew up to be the most ridiculously fudgy, intensely chocolatey cookie you’ve ever experienced. These Chocolate Cherry Cookies are thick, chewy, deeply chocolate bombs with pockets of jammy cherry goodness, all drizzled with glossy chocolate because apparently we’re not here to play it safe. They’re like if Black Forest cake decided to become a cookie and brought all its A-game. The cherries get all soft and almost syrupy when they bake, creating these little bursts of tart sweetness that cut through all that rich chocolate. I brought these to a Valentine’s Day party and someone literally proposed to me. We’re not dating. They just really loved the cookies that much. That’s the power we’re wielding here.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Brownie-level fudgy. These aren’t your basic chocolate chip cookies. These are SERIOUS chocolate cookies.

Cherry chocolate combo. It’s a classic for a reason. Sweet, tart, and chocolatey all at once.

Looks bakery-fancy. That chocolate drizzle and cherry on top? Instagram is shaking.

No mixer required. Just a bowl and a spoon. Your arms get a workout, but it’s worth it.

Freezer-friendly dough. Make a batch, freeze half, bake cookies whenever you need them. Strategic planning.

Valentine’s Day MVP. Nothing says “I love you” like homemade cookies with cherries. Even if you’re just loving yourself.

The Good Stuff You’ll Need

For the Cookies:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (the good stuff, not the dusty tin from 2008)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk (the yolk makes them extra fudgy)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well-drained and patted dry
12-15 whole maraschino cherries for topping

For the Drizzle:

1/2 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
1 tsp vegetable oil or coconut oil (makes it smooth and drippy)

Let’s Do This

Step 1: Prep Your Cherries

Drain your maraschino cherries and pat them VERY dry with paper towels. Seriously, get them as dry as possible. Wet cherries = sad, spreading cookies.

Chop half of them for mixing into the dough. Keep 12-15 whole ones for topping.

Set them aside on paper towels to keep drying. They’re needy like that.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Stuff

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

Make sure there are no cocoa lumps. Nobody wants a mouthful of straight cocoa powder. Well, maybe some people do, but not in cookies.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Stuff

In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. It’ll look grainy and that’s fine.

Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

This is the base of your fudgy dream cookies. Show it some respect.

Step 4: Combine and Add Mix-Ins

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix or your cookies will be tough.

Fold in chocolate chips and chopped cherries gently. Distribute them evenly but don’t murder the dough.

The dough will be thick and fudgy, almost brownie-batter-like. This is correct.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This prevents spreading and helps the flavors meld. Trust the process.

Step 5: Shape and Bake

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop dough into balls using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll them smooth in your hands.

Place on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. They spread a little but not much.

Press a whole cherry into the top of each dough ball. Push it down slightly so it’s nestled in there.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be set but the centers will look slightly underdone and soft. DO NOT OVERBAKE. They’ll continue cooking on the pan.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6: Drizzle Like You Mean It

Melt chocolate chips with oil in a microwave (30-second bursts, stirring between) or double boiler until smooth.

Transfer to a piping bag, ziplock bag with the corner cut off, or just use a spoon.

Drizzle chocolate over the cooled cookies in a zigzag pattern. Go wild. Be artistic. Or don’t. They’ll taste the same.

Let the chocolate set for about 15 minutes, or pop them in the fridge for 5 minutes to speed things up.

Step 7: Devour

Serve these beauties and watch people lose their minds.

Store extras in an airtight container (if there are any leftovers, which is unlikely).

Try not to eat them all in one sitting. Or do. I’m not your boss.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are pretty much perfect as-is, but if you want to get fancy:

Serve with vanilla ice cream for a deconstructed sundae situation
Pair with coffee or hot chocolate for dunking
Crumble over chocolate mousse or pudding
Make ice cream sandwiches with cherry ice cream (next-level stuff)
Dust with powdered sugar for a fancy snow effect
Serve with whipped cream for a Black Forest vibe

Switch It Up

Triple Chocolate: Add white chocolate chips along with the semi-sweet for extra decadence.

Cherry Almond: Add 1/2 tsp almond extract to the dough for that amaretto flavor.

Dark Chocolate Version: Use dark chocolate chips and dark cocoa powder for a more intense, less sweet cookie.

Raspberry Swap: Use dried cherries or fresh raspberries instead of maraschino cherries for a more sophisticated flavor.

Espresso Boost: Add 1 tbsp instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients for mocha cherry cookies.

Nutty Addition: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.

Mint Chocolate Cherry: Add 1/4 tsp peppermint extract for a mint-chocolate-cherry combo.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

These cookies actually get better after sitting for a day—the flavors meld and the texture gets even fudgier.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Put parchment between layers if you’re stacking them.

The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before baking. Let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes before scooping if it’s too hard.

Freeze cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes.

Baked cookies freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 10 seconds.

Don’t drizzle the chocolate until you’re ready to serve if making ahead—store plain cookies and drizzle later.

Why This Works So Damn Well

These cookies work because they’re built on a brownie-style base rather than a traditional cookie base. Using melted butter instead of creamed butter creates a denser, fudgier texture. The extra egg yolk adds richness and helps keep them soft and chewy. The combination of brown and white sugar creates both chewiness (brown sugar) and crispness at the edges (white sugar).

The cocoa powder provides deep chocolate flavor without making them cakey. The chocolate chips add pockets of melted chocolate throughout. The cherries introduce moisture and tartness that cuts through all that chocolate richness—they’re not just decoration, they’re actually functional.

Chilling the dough is crucial. It allows the flour to fully hydrate, prevents excessive spreading, and lets the flavors develop. The cookies bake up thick and fudgy instead of thin and crispy. Underbaking slightly ensures they stay soft and chewy rather than turning into chocolate hockey pucks.

The drizzle on top isn’t just for looks—it adds an extra hit of chocolate and makes them feel more special than just regular cookies. Plus, who doesn’t love chocolate on chocolate on chocolate?

When to Make These

Valentine’s Day: Chocolate and cherries? It’s basically required. Make these for your partner, your friends, or yourself.

Holiday Cookie Trays: These stand out among all the sugar cookies and gingerbread.

After Dinner Treat: Serve warm with ice cream and call it dessert. Nobody will complain.

Bake Sale Winner: These will sell out first. Price them accordingly.

Date Night Dessert: Make these together or surprise your date. Either way, it’s romantic.

Breakup Recovery: Sometimes you just need chocolate cherry cookies and a good cry. Valid.

Questions People Actually Ask

Q: Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino? A: Fresh cherries have too much moisture and will make the cookies spread and get soggy. Stick with maraschino or use dried cherries.

Q: My cookies spread too much. What happened? A: You either didn’t chill the dough long enough, your butter was too warm, or your cherries were too wet. Chill the dough and dry those cherries thoroughly.

Q: Can I skip the chocolate drizzle? A: You can, but why would you want to? It takes 2 minutes and makes them look bakery-level fancy.

Q: The cookies are too cakey. Help! A: You overbaked them. These need to come out when they still look slightly underdone in the center. Also check that you’re using the right amount of butter.

Q: Can I use Dutch-process cocoa? A: Yes, but natural cocoa works better with baking soda. If using Dutch-process, swap baking soda for baking powder (same amount).

Q: My chocolate drizzle is too thick. A: Add more oil, a teaspoon at a time, until it’s thin enough to drizzle. Or microwave it for 10 seconds to thin it out.

Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: Yes! Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.