Around the holiday season for as long as I can remember, my mom has made these delicious chewy chocolate cherry cookies. They are, I can say without a doubt, my most favorite cookies in the whole wide world.
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Over Christmastime last year, Matt and I (with some assistance from my mom – “make sure you don’t burn the chocolate!”) whipped up a batch of these cookies for everyone using my mom’s old tried and true recipe.
I planned to share the recipe right away, but holiday relaxing got the best of me. Before I knew it, it was January, and then I felt a little awkward posting a chocolate cookie recipe at the same time most people were jumping full force into new years resolution mode.
I had completely forgotten about wanting to share this recipe until this week when I started seeing all sorts of chocolate recipes popping up in anticipation of Valentine’s Day. Might as well add one more to the mix, right?
Chocolate Cherry Cookies Recipe
These cookies are not healthy by any stretch of the imagination, but you guys know I’m a firm believer in the fact that being healthy means not ALWAYS being healthy, if you know what I mean.
Sure, I probably could have health-ified this recipe. But sometimes it’s good to indulge in things that are worth it! And these cookies, for me, are definitely worth it.
They’re rich and chocolate-y, and when you bite into them you get a burst of sweet, juicy cherry. Perfection. They would make a fabulous Valentine’s Day dessert!
For another festive dessert, check out these healthy maple brownie cookies – you could definitely decorate them with pink or red icing for Valentine’s day! Or check out these other healthy recipes for Valentine’s Day.
Chocolate Cherry Cookie Ingredients
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- flour
- cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- sugar
- an egg
- vanilla extract
- jarred maraschino cherries
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- sweetened condensed milk
How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer on low speed to beat together softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Next, add in the egg and vanilla and beat well.
Slowly add in the dry ingredients and beat until well blended. Then, use your hands to shape the dough into roughly 1-inch balls. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet, leaving a little room between each cookie. Press down on the centers with your thumb to create a small indent.
Drain the maraschino cherries from their jar (save the juice for later). Place a cherry in the center of each cookie.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the chocolate chips/pieces and the sweetened condensed milk until the chocolate melts. Take care not to burn the mixture – keep a close eye on it and stir often!
Once the chocolate is melted, stir in 4 teaspoons of the cherry juice. Then, spoon 1 teaspoon of the melted chocolate mixture over each cookie (i.e. cover the cherry with it).
Lastly, bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then dig in!
You’ll find the full chocolate cherry cookies recipe at the end of this post. I hope you love these cookies as much as we do. 🙂
In the mood for chocolate, but want something less decadent? Try some of these!
Cookie recipes:
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Matt’s Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies (healthy but not TOO healthy!)
- These Ain’t Yo Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies! (but they still taste like them)
Snack recipes with chocolate:
- Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bars (gluten free)
- Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Granola Bars
- Chocolate Cherry Espresso Smoothie
- Chocolate Coconut Almond Balls
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
These cookies are rich and chocolatey, and when you bite into them you get a burst of sweet, juicy cherry. Perfection. They would make a fabulous Valentine’s Day dessert!
Ingredients:
- 1 & 1/2 C all purpose flour
- 1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 C butter, softened
- 1 C sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 (10 oz.) jar maraschino cherries
- 1 (6 oz.) package semi-sweet chocolate pieces
- 1/2 C sweetened condensed milk
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a mixer bowl, use an electric mixer on low speed to beat together softened butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add dry ingredients; beat until well blended.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down centers with thumb.
- Drain cherries, reserving juice. Place one cherry in the center of each cookie.
- In a small saucepan, heat chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk until chocolate melts. Take care not to burn the mixture - stir often! Once melted, stir in 4 teaspoons cherry juice.
- Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate/cherry sauce over each cookie (on top of the cherry).
- Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack and enjoy!
