Some cookies belong on a Christmas cookie tray because they're pretty; these are the ones people remember and come looking for again next year. There's something about biting through dark chocolate and finding that sweet, juicy cherry hiding in the middle that still feels like a little surprise. Make extra and hide a few in the freezer before the family discovers them because holiday generosity has limits.
Table of Contents
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🥰 Is this chocolate covered cherry cookies recipe for you?
This one's for you if you like:
- Old-fashioned Christmas cookies that look right at home on a holiday cookie tray.
- Serious chocolate with a soft, fudgy cookie and rich ganache baked right on top.
- Chocolate-covered cherries because there's a whole juicy maraschino cherry hiding inside each cookie.
- Make-ahead cookies you can stash in the freezer before December starts making unreasonable demands on your time.
🎥 Video
Reader Review: Made these today and SO glad I did! They are so decadent and rich. Thanks for the recipe Marye! Janie
🧾 Ingredients
The ingredient list is mostly pantry basics, with maraschino cherries and plenty of chocolate bringing the drama.
- All-purpose flour - No need for anything fancy here.
- Cocoa powder - I use Hershey's Special Dark because when I say chocolate, I mean chocolate. Regular cocoa is fine if that's what you've got.
- Baking soda and baking powder - You need both. They're not interchangeable, no matter what chaos is happening in your pantry.
- Sugar - Plain granulated sugar.
- Salt - Just enough to make the chocolate taste more chocolatey.
- Egg - Large, please.
- Butter - Let it soften on the counter before you start.
- Sweetened condensed milk - I stick with Eagle Brand. I've tried bargain brands and ended up with grainy ganache, which is not the Christmas miracle we're looking for.
- Vanilla - Real vanilla extract if possible.
- Chocolate chips - I like bittersweet because these cookies already have plenty of sweetness going on.
- Maraschino cherries - Stemless, drained, and patted very dry. Save the juice for the ganache. Red cherries are traditional, but green ones turn these into Grinch cookies, and I fully support that decision.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
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Cookies
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder, you can use regular cocoa if you like
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 36 maraschino cherries without stems, drained, and patted dry (reserve juice)
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling cookie dough in
Ganache
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons Amaretto or cherry juice
Instructions
Ganache
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a small saucepan.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Heat until the chocolate is melted, stirring often.
- Blend well so there are no streaks.
- Add the amaretto or cherry juice.
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.
- Form the dough into 36 balls using about a heaping teaspoon of dough for each.
- Roll the dough in confectioner's sugar.
- Gently push a cherry into each one.
- Spoon prepared ganache on top of each cherry, covering it completely, before baking.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.
- Cool completely.
Notes
- Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature - it's important to the way the cookies come out.
- Use real chocolate chips, not chocolate flavored chips. The off brand & cheap ones can refuse to melt correctly.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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🍒 Try this!
If you happen to be taking these chocolate cherry cookies to a grownups gathering try soaking the cherries in Amaretto or bourbon overnight before you make them. Just pat them dry before using and make sure the kids don't get ahold of them.
🔪 How to make chocolate covered cherry cookies
These look fancy enough for a Christmas cookie tray, but there's nothing complicated going on. Make the chocolate cookie dough, tuck a cherry into each one, cover it with fudgy ganache, and bake.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.
- Form the dough into 36 balls using about a heaping teaspoon of dough for each. Roll the dough in confectioner's sugar.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a small saucepan. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Heat until the chocolate is melted. Add the Amaretto or cherry juice and blend well.
- Push a cherry into the center of each ball of dough. Spoon chocolate over on top of each cherry, covering it completely.
- Bake.
😱 What can go wrong (and how to fix it)
🤶 The ganache won't stick to the cherries. They're probably still wet. Drain the maraschino cherries well, then pat them very dry with paper towels before adding them to the cookies.
🤶 The cookie dough is too soft to roll. Pop it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. A short chill should make it much easier to work with.
🤶 The ganache is grainy instead of smooth. Sweetened condensed milk can be surprisingly temperamental depending on the brand. I get the most consistent results with Eagle Brand. Don't let it boil!
🤶 The ganache gets too thick while you're assembling the cookies. Warm it gently over low heat and stir in a little reserved cherry juice until it's spoonable again.
🤶 The cookies came out dry. They were probably overbaked. Pull them at 9 to 10 minutes even if they don't look completely done. They'll finish setting up as they cool.
🤶 The powdered sugar disappeared. Make sure the dough balls get a good, generous coating before baking. This is Christmas. Mrs. Claus is not rationing powdered sugar.
More Christmas cookie recipes
Still filling the cookie trays? I've got plenty more Christmas cookie recipes to get you through the holidays, whether you're baking for Santa, the neighbors, or yourself while hiding in the pantry. And, if you're shipping them, you'll want to read my guide on how to ship cookies.
Janie says
Made these today and SO glad I did! They are so decadent and rich. Thanks for the recipe Marye!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
I love chocolate covered cherries, so I know I would love these!
Alisa Fleming says
Oh my goodness, these look too irresistible and are so creative! I love the way you used the cherry juice in the ganache, too.
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection says
Oh wow. That cookie with the bite taken out? Yum!
Marye Audet says
🙂 yeah, I usually hesitate to do those kinds of images but this one? Couldn't resist
Susan | LunaCafe says
Such an unusual cookie. Looks absolutely luscious. 🙂
Marye Audet says
Thank you!