As the first tray comes out, the edges are golden while the centers still look just set. That contrast is exactly what I want in Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies: the edges finish firming on the pan, while the middle stays tender around the chocolate and chewy pieces of dried cherry.
The dough gets a 30-minute rest in the refrigerator before it’s scooped, which gives the softened butter time to firm back up after mixing. Coarsely chopping the cherries also helps distribute them through the dough instead of leaving a few oversized, sticky pockets. The result is a cookie with semisweet chocolate in every bite and little tart-sweet notes of cherry.
Kitchen Note
Give the dough its full 30 minutes in the refrigerator before scooping. It should feel firmer and hold a rounded scoop more neatly than it did straight from the mixing bowl.
Save these Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies for the next time you want chewy dried cherries tucked into a classic chocolate chip cookie.
Why the Baking Sheet Needs to Cool Completely Between Batches
A hot baking sheet starts melting the butter in the next round of dough before the cookies even reach the oven. That early melt can make the portions spread sooner, so the later cookies may come out thinner than the first batch. Parchment makes cleanup easy, but it doesn’t insulate dough from a warm pan.
With a 12×18-inch sheet, the cookies have room to sit about 2 inches apart, but there’s still a limit to how many fit comfortably. I bake in batches rather than crowding the pan. After each batch, the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes and move to a wire rack; the bare sheet itself needs to cool completely before it goes back under fresh dough. If you have only one sheet, give it time on a heat-safe surface before scooping the next round onto it. That pause helps each batch bake under the same conditions.
What the Butter, Two Sugars, and Dried Cherries Bring to These Cookies
- All-purpose flour — It gives the cookies enough structure to hold the chocolate and cherry pieces. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top rather than packing it down; too much flour can make the cookies dry and dense.
- Unsalted butter — Softened butter creams smoothly with the sugars and lets you control the salt separately. It should yield to a gentle press but not look shiny or melted; butter that’s too warm won’t cream the same way.
- Brown and granulated sugars — The packed brown sugar brings moisture and a deeper, caramel-like sweetness, while granulated sugar helps the edges bake up. Keeping both gives the cookies their mix of chewy middle and lightly crisp edge.
- Room-temperature eggs — They blend more evenly into the creamed butter and sugar than cold eggs do. Add them one at a time so the mixture has a chance to come together between additions.
- Semisweet chocolate chips — Their sweetness balances the tartness of the cherries, and chips keep distinct pockets of chocolate in the baked cookie. A standard semisweet chip is a good fit here; there’s no need for specialty chocolate.
- Dried cherries — These bring concentrated cherry flavor without adding the moisture fresh fruit would contribute to cookie dough. Chop them coarsely so the pieces are spread through the batch without disappearing into tiny bits.
From Creamed Butter to Golden-Edged Cookies
Whisk the dry ingredients first
Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 12×18-inch baking sheet with parchment. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl so the leavening is dispersed before it reaches the butter mixture. This quick bowl keeps you from finding a concentrated pocket of baking soda in a finished cookie.
Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed for about 2 minutes. The mixture should look lighter and fluffy rather than like a dense paste. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla. If the mixture looks a little uneven just after an egg goes in, keep mixing until it comes together before adding the next one.
Bring the dough together gently
Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain. Stop as soon as the flour disappears; continuing to beat after that can make the cookies tougher. Stir in the chocolate chips and coarsely chopped dried cherries until they’re distributed through the dough, then refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
Bake until the edges turn golden
Scoop the chilled dough into 2-tablespoon portions and set them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet. Bake for 10–12 minutes, watching for golden edges and centers that look just set rather than fully browned. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. Cool the baking sheet completely before baking the remaining dough in batches.
Three Ways to Adapt the Cherry-and-Chocolate Mix
Make the cookies gluten-free
Replace the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking flour blend designed for cookies. Choose a blend that includes xanthan gum or another binder; the cookies may have a slightly more delicate crumb, so let them rest on the baking sheet before moving them.
Use chopped semisweet chocolate
Swap the semisweet chips for the same amount of chopped semisweet chocolate. The irregular pieces create a mix of small flecks and larger melted pockets, though the dough will look less evenly dotted than it does with chips.
Let the cherries take the lead
Leave out the chocolate chips for a cherry-forward cookie with a simpler, less sweet finish. Keep the dried cherries coarsely chopped and follow the same mixing and baking process.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week. They’ll firm up when cold, so let them come to room temperature for a softer bite.
- Freezer: Freeze completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months, separating layers with parchment. Thaw at room temperature.
- Reheating: Warm cookies in a 300°F oven for about 4 minutes, just until softened. Don’t leave them in until the chocolate is fully melted or the cookies can dry out.
Questions That Come Up While Baking Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 12x18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and dried cherries until evenly distributed.
- Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers look just set.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
- Let the baking sheet cool completely before baking the remaining dough in batches.
