Soft, cakey cookies filled with bits of cherries, then dipped in or drizzled with chocolate. These Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies are a unique, delicious treat!
12 Days of Holiday Treats: Day 8
Today is day 8 of SugarSpicesLife’s 12 Days of Holiday Treats. This is a 12 day series of holiday candies, cookies and other treats.
In case you’ve missed any, so far this year I have shared:
Day 1: Hot Chocolate Cookies
Day 2: Orange Shortbread Cookies
Day 3: Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Day 4: Candy Cane Puppy Chow
Day 5: Sugar Cookie Truffles
Day 6: Holiday Meringue Cookies
Day 7: Lemon Butter Cookies
If you want more holiday recipe inspiration, you can see the 2020 series here.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
This year when I was thinking about what I wanted to include in my holiday treat gift boxes, I knew I wanted something with chocolate and cherries. After thought and experimentation, I developed these cakey little cherry cookies that I dipped in chocolate. They taste like a chocoate covered cherry married a cake and had a cookie baby.
If you would like to see more cherry recipes, here are two of my favorites:
Chocolate Cherry Truffles
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake
Step One: The Cherries
Obviously, the cherries are a very important part of this recipe. I purchased a bag of frozen dark sweet cherries that I thawed. The dark cherries are sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. They give the cookie a more natural cherry taste.
The instructions for the cherries are important as if you do not follow them, you may have pink cookies (not a huge deal) or too much liquid in the cookies (no good).
First, thaw the cherries completely. I recommended you place the cherries in a strainer to thaw.
After the cherries have thawed, pat them with paper towels to absorb as much of the remaining juice as you can.
Step Two: Mixing
The first thing you’ll do is use an electric mixer to beat together the butter and sugar until they are lightened and fluffy. Next, you’ll mix in the vanilla extract. Then, you’ll add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
After this has been done, you will whisk together:
- All purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking powder
- Salt
Then, you’ll slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. The directions are similar to making a cake as these cookies do have a bit of a cakey texture.
Finally, you’ll fold in the cherries. Do not use a mixer for this step if you want to avoid pink cookies.
Step Three: Baking and Dipping
Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Scoop the dough into balls that are about 1 1/2 tablespoons in size, and place them on the baking sheets, about 2 1/2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the cookies start to turn a light golden color and are set. Let the cookies cool completely before dipping.
Finally, melt 1 cup of chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Dip 1/2 to 1/3 of each cookie in the melted chocolate, shake off the excess, and set it on parchment paper to dry. Alternatively, you can drizzle chocolate over the tops of the cookies instead of dipping them.
These Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies are unique, beautiful, and super delicious!
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounce bag frozen pitted cherries thawed
Chocolate
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Thaw cherries in a strainer so that excess liquid drains off of the cherries. Then, use paper towels to gently press cherries and soak up any excess juice.
- Use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar until lightened and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Then, mix in vanilla extract. Next, beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides as needed.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Gradually beat flour mixture into butter mixture until well combined.
- Fold in cherries.
- Scoop dough into balls about 1.5 tablespoons in size and place on prepared baking sheet, 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until cookies are a light golden color and appear to be set.
- Let cool completely before dipping.
Chocolate
- Set out parchment or wax paper on a working surface.
- Stir together chocolate chips and vegetable oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave on 50% power, in 30 second increments, stirring after each increment, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Dip 1/3 to 1/2 of each cookie into chocolate. Gently shake of excess chocolate, then set on prepared surface to dry. Alternatively, you can drizzle chocolate over the tops of the cookies. Let sit until chocolate is firm, about 1 hour.
Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.
If you enjoyed these Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies, you might also enjoy these other SugarSpicesLife recipes:
Cannoli Cookies
Glazed Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cake
Chocolate Strawberry Creme Brûlée
Chocolate Cherry Truffles
