Maraschino Cherry Cookies By Kelly Miller • December4,2018 • 26 Comments 18.7K 48 Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Maraschino Cherry Cookies are so pretty! A shortbread cookie dough with chopped maraschino cherries and miniature chocolate chips – perfect for cookie trays and gift giving! These delicious Maraschino Cherry Cookies have been a STAPLE in our Christmas cookie list every year for at least the last 5 years! Something about the combination of chocolate and cherry in these cookies make them so pretty and addictive! Be sure to wear gloves when chopping the maraschino cherries or the red juice will definitely stain your hands for a day or two. This is a job you can give an older kiddo that want to help with the cookie baking this season! What are maraschino cherries? These are the cherries that are usually what goes on top of ice cream sundaes. You can typically find them in the aisle with the other ice cream toppings: chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, fudge sauce, etc. Sometimes they’re also located in the canned fruit section of the grocery store. Why is red food coloring needed? The red food coloring is totally optional – it just gives the cookies a darker pink hue that is so pretty this time of the year! Feel free to omit the food coloring if you’d like. How to make maraschino cherry cookies: Beat butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer. Add in salt, almond extract, maraschino cherry juice, and food coloring (if using). Gradually add in flour, a little at a time, until well mixed. Add in chopped maraschino cherries. Remove bowl from stand mixer and fold in miniature chocolate chips. Roll tablespoonful pieces of dough into balls and place evenly spaced on a lined cookie sheet. Bake, cool, and enjoy! Can this cookie dough be frozen? Yes! Wrap up finished cookie dough in plastic wrap and freeze. Allow cookie dough to come to room temperature before baking as directed in the recipe. More favorite Christmas cookie recipes: Peppermint Patty Cookies Cream Cheese Cutout Cookies Classic Chocolate Chunk Cookies If you liked this recipe for Maraschino Cherry Cookies, please leave a rating and a comment below this post! Maraschino Cherry Cookies These Maraschino Cherry Cookies are so pretty and so yummy! Chopped maraschino cherries with shortbread cookie dough and miniature chocolate chips - these little cookies are addictive! 3.76 from 149 votes Print Pin Rate Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanKeyword: maraschino cherry cookies Prep Time: 10 minutesCook Time: 8 minutesTotal Time: 18 minutes Servings: 48 cookies Calories: 86kcal Author: Kelly Miller Ingredients▢ 1 cup butter softened▢ 1 cup powdered sugar▢ 1/2 tsp salt▢ 2 tsp maraschino cherry juice▢ 1/2 tsp almond extract▢ 6 drops red food coloring▢ 2 1/4 cups flour▢ 1/2 cup maraschino cherries drained and chopped▢ 3/4 cup miniature semi sweet chocolate chips InstructionsIn the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, salt, cherry juice, almond extract, and food coloring (if using). Gradually beat in flour.Add in chopped cherries while mixer is on low speed. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in chocolate chips. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes or until slightly browned on the edges. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers. Video NutritionCalories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 28mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.5mg Tried this recipe?Follow me @mostlyhomemademom or tag #MostlyHomemadeMom! 18.7K 48
Deb Grosner says August 25, 2018 at 10:52 pm You left out the leavening agents – this recipe needs 2 eggs & 1 tsp baking soda. I also added 1 tsp vanilla and upped the almond extract to 1 tsp. But you seriously need to correct the recipe for the leavening agents, otherwise it doesn’t work. Reply
Kelly Miller says August 26, 2018 at 10:44 pm It may seem odd, but I assure you these cookies do work without eggs and baking soda – I make them every year for Christmas and they turn out wonderful! Reply
Penny Santiago says December 20, 2019 at 3:18 pm Thanks for the tips. I was wondering why there were certain agents missing. I am happy I read the reviews. Reply
Kelly Miller says December 20, 2019 at 3:40 pm Penny, there are no missing ingredients. I just made 2 batches of these cookies to give away, they turn out perfect every time. Reply
Paul Miller says August 26, 2018 at 10:49 pm These never survive long. They’re just very, very addictive. 🙂 Always a hit at our family get-togethers. Reply
Debbie V. says December 16, 2018 at 2:16 pm I made this for a cookie swap party. They came out great! Very easy recipe. Thanks! Reply
Kamila says July 27, 2022 at 8:54 pm They didn’t turn out for me and my first thought was that there were eggs or baking soda missing. Very disappointed because they looked very pretty but they just weren’t right. Reply
Kelly Miller says July 28, 2022 at 7:59 pm I’m sorry these didn’t work for you. Did you make any substitutions at all? I make these every year just as written, no eggs or baking soda needed. Reply
Debbie V. says December 17, 2018 at 4:21 pm I made these cookies for my Cookie Swap party. They were the first to go. It was very easy to do. Actually, I swapped the butter for coconut oil, just because I wanted to. Turned out great. I will be making them again. Thank you so much! Merry Christmas to you & family. Reply
Debbie V. says December 17, 2018 at 4:22 pm I made these cookies for my Cookie Swap party. They were the first to go. It was very easy to do. Actually, I swapped the butter for coconut oil, just because I wanted to. Turned out great. I will be making them again. Thank you so much! Merry Christmas to you & family. Reply
Kelly Miller says December 17, 2018 at 6:19 pm That’s fantastic, Debbie – I’m so glad they were a hit at your party! I’ll keep the coconut oil in mind, too – great tip and I’m glad they worked well with that substitution. Merry Christmas to your family as well! Reply
Chrissy says January 25, 2022 at 9:23 am Probably the best cookie recipe I have yet to come by!! I have made these several times and tweeked it slightly. I add 3 Tbls of cherry juice, 10 ounces of chopped cherries. (I do NOT drain them) 1.5 tsp of almond extract, 1/2 c. of semi sweet chocolate chips. I also omit the food coloring. I make this dough in the evening and let it sit in the fridge overnight then bake in the morning. These do not last long!! Reply
Carrol says May 31, 2020 at 7:06 pm Just finished making these cookies as written & they’re wonderful. When I wrote it down & got to the kitchen, I started grabbing ingredients & thought “Did I forget to write down the egg?” I sure didn’t! No eggs, to soda or baking powder & they’re great. Kept their shape nicely. I use the trigger scoop about the size of a walnut. Got 31 two inch round cookies. Great texture. Just sweet enough. This one is definitely a keeper. Reply
Kelly Miller says June 1, 2020 at 2:43 pm Thanks for such a sweet comment and rating, Carrol! These are a favorite around here too – enjoy! Reply
Katherine Osborne says December 9, 2021 at 10:04 pm Kelly I want to make these marachino juice cookies for Christmas and was wondering if I can use chopped nuts instead of the chocolate chips? Reply
Sarah Booras says December 21, 2021 at 4:19 pm I just made these last night, they are yummy, but very dry. My stayed as balls and did not melt down. No one cared and they were eaten, but not sure what to do other than decrease the flour by 1/4 cup? Add milk?? More cherry juice? Reply
Kelly Miller says December 24, 2021 at 4:14 pm Hmm I’m not sure Sarah, you could try a bit more cherry juice – they kind of don’t flatten totally like typical cookies and do stay sort of round a bit. Reply
Theresa says September 23, 2022 at 11:54 pm Thank you I’ve been looking for a long time. Can’t wait to start baking to make cherry cookies Reply
Amey Dolan Phelan says November 23, 2022 at 5:46 pm I made these last year for the Holidays…I Loved them!!! Will be making them again….a different but easy to make cookie….delicious….My husband always wants peanut butter and chocolate everything and I told him he can’t always have what he wants..he loved loved these cookies…he’s a sweet freak!!!!! They are one of my new favorites!!! Thank you!!! Reply
Mary says December 14, 2022 at 4:37 pm These are the best cookies. So soft and moist. My new go to for special occasions and so easy to make. Thanks Reply
Coene says January 3, 2023 at 5:13 am No levening, no eggs, and the powdered sugar makes these cookies almost melt in your mouth. I added chopped walnuts, and they are delicious. Baked cookies can stay on counter a week, maybe two, depending on your humidity. Or just freeze cooked cookies. Reply