Why You’ll Love these Cherry Chocolate Chewy Cookies
These cookies are truly a match made in dessert heaven. The rich chocolate base, studded with tart cherries and melty chocolate chips, creates a flavor combination you won’t be able to resist.
You’ll appreciate how the chewy texture stays perfect for days—if they last that long in your kitchen! The contrast between the sweet chocolate and slightly tangy cherries makes each bite interesting, never boring.
Perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, midnight snacking, or impressing dinner guests. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t need a chocolate-cherry treat after a long day?
The best part? They’re surprisingly simple to make.
What Ingredients are in Cherry Chocolate Chewy Cookies?
The heart of these Cherry Chocolate Chewy Cookies lies in the perfect balance between rich chocolate and tart cherries.
What makes these cookies special is the combination of pantry staples with a few star ingredients that create that irresistible chewy texture we all crave. The unsweetened cocoa powder provides deep chocolate flavor without making the cookies overly sweet, while the dried cherries offer little pockets of tangy goodness that cut through the richness.
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (150g) dried cherries (or chopped maraschino cherries, well drained)
When shopping for these ingredients, quality matters—especially with the cocoa powder and cherries.
I recommend using natural unsweetened cocoa powder rather than Dutch-processed for the best flavor. For the cherries, dried tart cherries work beautifully, but you can absolutely substitute with well-drained maraschino cherries if you prefer a sweeter, more vibrant bite. Just be sure to chop them and pat them very dry with paper towels, or you might end up with pink streaks throughout your dough (though honestly, that could be pretty cute too).
How to Make these Cherry Chocolate Chewy Cookies
Let’s start by preheating our oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
Trust me, the parchment isn’t optional here—it prevents these chocolatey beauties from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze. Who doesn’t want less scrubbing and more cookie eating?
In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup (226g) of softened unsalted butter with 1 cup (200g) of granulated sugar and ½ cup (100g) of packed brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy—this usually takes about 3 minutes with an electric mixer.
The brown sugar is our secret weapon for that perfect chewy texture. Next, add 2 large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until everything’s well combined.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups (280g) of all-purpose flour, ½ cup (45g) of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt until no cocoa lumps remain.
Now comes the magic: gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet mixture, stirring just until combined—over-mixing is the enemy of tender cookies, so show some restraint here.
Gently fold in 1 cup (170g) of semisweet chocolate chips and 1 cup (150g) of dried cherries until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart (they will spread).
Slide those trays into your preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are ready when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft—they’ll continue firming up as they cool.
Let them rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, if you can wait that long.
Cherry Chocolate Chewy Cookies Substitutions and Variations
While the basic recipe for these cherry chocolate cookies creates an irresistible treat, you don’t need to feel locked into following it exactly as written.
You can easily swap dried cherries for fresh or frozen ones (just pat them dry first), or try cranberries for a tangy twist. Not a fan of semisweet chocolate? Dark, milk, or white chips work beautifully too.
For nutty dimension, fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or almonds.
And honestly, who doesn’t love a dash of cinnamon or espresso powder to deepen that chocolate flavor?
Gluten-free? Simply substitute a 1:1 baking flour blend.
What to Serve with Cherry Chocolate Chewy Cookies
So, what could possibly make these decadent cherry chocolate cookies even more enjoyable?
A tall glass of cold milk is the classic pairing—there’s something about that creamy coolness that perfectly balances the rich chocolate and tart cherries.
You might also try serving them with coffee or espresso, where the bitter notes complement the sweetness.
For something unexpected, pair with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to create mini ice cream sandwiches, or serve alongside a cheese board featuring mild brie or mascarpone.
Hot chocolate? Yes, please.
Sometimes cookie-on-cookie action is what you need.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting your cookie journey, these Cherry Chocolate Chewy Cookies deserve a spot in your recipe collection.
The rich chocolate paired with tart cherries creates that perfect sweet-tart balance we all crave.
You’ll find yourself making these again and again, maybe tweaking the recipe to suit your taste—more cherries? White chocolate instead? Why not?
Cherry Chocolate Chewy Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy (about 3 minutes with an electric mixer).
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until any lumps are gone.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet mixture, stirring just until combined—be careful not to over-mix to maintain a tender, chewy texture.
- Gently fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and dried cherries until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart as they will spread while baking.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still appear slightly soft. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
