If you’re anything like me and adore a cookie that’s both playful and packed with flavor, this Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is going to become your new obsession. These cookies have that perfect balance of sweet cherries and melty chocolate chips with a fun pop of pink that always impresses guests. I promise, once you try these, you’ll find it hard to bake anything else!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Unique Flavor Combination: The sweet tang of maraschino cherries blended with rich chocolate chips creates a cookie that’s bursting with flavor.
Beautiful Presentation: The pink hue and bright cherries make these cookies visually stunning, perfect for impressing friends or for festive occasions.
Chewy & Soft Texture: Thanks to a chilling step and careful baking, these cookies stay soft and chewy, something I’ve come to treasure in cookie baking.
Easy to Customize: This recipe is really forgiving and versatile—you can tweak the cherries, chocolate, or even extracts to suit your tastes.

Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe - Recipe Step

Ingredients You’ll Need

I love how these ingredients work harmoniously to give the cookies their dreamy texture and fun flavor. Make sure you use good-quality chocolate chips and fresh maraschino cherries for best results—and definitely grab some gel food coloring to get that perfect pink pop!

Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe - Ingredients

All-purpose flour: Using the right flour and measuring it correctly is key to getting the perfect cookie texture.
Cornstarch: This little addition helps keep the cookies soft and tender.
Baking soda: For just the right amount of rise.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances flavor.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips: I use a good quality 12 oz bag, but save extra for decorating the tops.
Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter is crucial for that fluffy dough I love working with.
Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and caramel undertones.
Granulated sugar: Helps with cookie spread and sweetness balance.
Large eggs: Binds everything perfectly.
Vanilla extract: Always a staple, it amps up the cookie’s warm flavor.
Almond extract: Just a touch amps up the cherry flavor beautifully.
Pink gel food coloring: This ensures a natural-looking, vibrant pink—you’ll see why gel is a game-changer!
Maraschino cherries: Drained and finely chopped; you want to remove excess moisture so the dough doesn’t get soggy.

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Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

Personally, I love tweaking this recipe depending on the season or my mood. It’s a great base that you can customize quite a lot without losing that cherry-chocolate magic. Feel free to experiment and make it your own!

Gluten-Free Version: I swapped in King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour once, and it worked wonderfully without sacrificing texture.
White Chocolate & Cherries: Sometimes I sub the semi-sweet chocolate chips with white chocolate chips for a sweeter, creamier twist—delicious and festive!
Extra Nuts: Adding chopped pecans or almonds gives a nice crunch if you want more texture.
Less Sweet Version: Reduce the granulated sugar slightly if you prefer a less sweet cookie, the cherry and almond extract give plenty of flavor upfront.

How to Make Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Prepping Your Flour and Cherries

I can’t stress enough how important it is to measure your flour correctly for this Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe. I usually weigh mine with a kitchen scale—makes such a difference! If you’re going old school, fluff your flour with a whisk, then spoon it lightly into your measuring cup without packing it down, and level it off with a knife. While you prep the cherries, drain and chop them finely, then lay them on a paper towel to soak up extra juice. This helps your dough stay the perfect consistency.

Step 2: Mixing the Dry Ingredients

Combine your flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk them together so they’re evenly mixed. This small step ensures your cookies bake consistently and helps maintain their lovely chewiness.

Step 3: Creaming Butter and Sugars

In a larger mixer bowl, beat the room temperature butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar until it’s pale and fluffy—about 2 minutes on medium speed. This is the part I enjoy the most because you can already smell the sweet caramel notes developing. It’s also the key to those soft, tender cookies we all crave.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Extracts

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and almond extracts. The almond extract is subtle but incredibly important to bring out the maraschino cherry flavor—it’s my little secret weapon in this recipe.

Step 5: Coloring the Dough

Add the pink gel food coloring next and mix until you reach your ideal shade. I love using gel because a tiny bit goes a long way, and it keeps the dough from getting too wet. If you skip the color, the cherries still shine, but that signature pink is such a fun surprise!

Step 6: Combine Dry Ingredients and Add Mix-Ins

Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed to avoid overworking the dough—you want it thick but still soft. Stir in the finely chopped cherries and 1 cup of chocolate chips for that perfect blend of mix-ins in every bite.

Step 7: Portion, Decorate, and Chill the Dough

Using a #40 cookie scoop, portion 2-tablespoon-sized dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Press the remaining chocolate chips and some extra chopped cherries on the outside of the dough balls—this little trick not only makes your cookies look fantastic but also adds fresh bursts of flavor when you bite into them. Freeze the shaped cookies for 30 minutes; I learned this step the hard way because it helps the cookies hold their shape beautifully while baking.

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Bake about 6–8 cookies per sheet for 10–13 minutes. Here’s the key: don’t overbake! The cookies should look slightly underbaked when you take them out—they continue to cook on the warm sheet, keeping them soft and chewy. Overbaking turns them brown and can dull their beautiful color and softness.

Step 9: Final Touches

Right after baking, I like to press a few extra chocolate chips onto any spots that look sparse—that little finishing touch makes them irresistible. I don’t recommend covering these cookies because the moisture from the cherries can make them soft and lose that lovely texture.

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Pro Tips for Making Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Use Gel Food Coloring: It delivers a vibrant pink without watering down your dough like liquid food coloring might.
Chill Those Cookies: Freezing the dough balls keeps the cookies from spreading too much and keeps that delightful chewy texture.
Don’t Overbake: Pull them out when edges are set but centers still look soft; they’ll firm up as they cool.
Drain Cherries Well: Removing extra moisture from maraschino cherries prevents soggy dough and helps cookies keep shape.

How to Serve Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe - Serving

Garnishes

I always sprinkle a few fresh chocolate chips and some finely chopped maraschino cherries on top right after baking—that way, your presentation feels extra special and the flavor pops right when you bite in. Sometimes I even dust a light sprinkle of powdered sugar for a festive touch.

Side Dishes

These cookies pair wonderfully with a tall glass of cold milk, but I’ve also served them alongside vanilla bean ice cream or a warm cup of coffee for an indulgent treat. At holiday parties, they’re a stellar companion to spiced cider or hot chocolate.

Creative Ways to Present

For birthdays or Valentine’s Day, I like arranging these cookies on a serving platter in a heart shape and decorating the platter with fresh cherries and rose petals. Wrapping them individually in clear cellophane tied with a pink ribbon also makes for a darling homemade gift that everyone raves about.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store these cookies uncovered at room temperature in an airtight container lined with parchment paper for up to 3 days. Covering them directly can make them softer than I like due to the juiciness from the cherries, so a little airflow helps keep that delightful chewiness intact.

Freezing

Freezing dough balls is a lifesaver when you want to bake fresh cookies on demand. I freeze the scooped dough on a lined baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. When baking from frozen, just add a minute or two to the bake time and voilà—fresh, warm cookies anytime!

Reheating

If you have leftover cookies, I like reheating them in a 300ºF oven for about 5 minutes to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven softness. Just be careful not to overheat, or they’ll dry out. A quick 10-second zap in the microwave also works in a pinch but can make them slightly chewier.

FAQs

Can I use liquid food coloring instead of gel in this Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe?

You can, but I don’t recommend it because liquid food coloring waters down the dough and the pink color usually ends up dull and less vibrant compared to gel. Gel food coloring is more concentrated and gives that gorgeous, deep pink that makes these cookies so special.
Why do I need to freeze the cookie dough balls before baking?

Freezing the dough helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents them from spreading too much in the oven. This step is crucial for maintaining that thick, chewy texture and keeping the cherries and chocolate chips nicely distributed in each cookie.
Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Absolutely! I’ve tried this recipe using King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour blend, and it works perfectly with no compromise in flavor or texture. Just substitute the all-purpose flour with the gluten-free blend cup for cup.
How do I prevent the cookies from becoming soggy because of the cherries?

Make sure to drain and finely chop the maraschino cherries and lay them on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture before adding to the dough. Also, avoid covering baked cookies tightly; instead, store them uncovered or loosely wrapped to keep them from getting too soft.
Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino cherries?

You could try, but keep in mind fresh cherries have more moisture and less sweetness, which could affect the dough’s consistency and flavor. If you do substitute, pit and chop them finely and consider reducing other liquid ingredients slightly.

Final Thoughts

I absolutely love how this Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe brings a fun twist to traditional chocolate chip cookies. The chewy texture, the bursts of cherry, and that eye-catching pink color make these cookies a standout for any occasion, from casual family nights to festive celebrations. Trust me, once you bake these, your cookie game will never be the same. So grab those maraschino cherries and gel food coloring, and let’s get baking—you’re going to make magic happen in your kitchen!