I make these easy cookies every year. They freeze well so feel free to make them well ahead of time. Even though we tend to think of them as Christmas cookies they are delicious ANY time!
I've also heard them called Buried Cherry or Buried Treasure cookies.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Chocolate covered cherry cookies are a chocoholic's dream! The thick layer of ganache is creamy and fudgy, the Maraschino cherry is juicy and sweet, and the chocolate cookie is tender and chewy!
🧾 Ingredients
- Cocoa powder is where the chocolate flavor comes from. I used Hershey's Extra Dark to get the most chocolate flavor.
- Maraschino cherries can be red or green. The red ones are pretty but if you use the green ones you can call them Grinch cookies. You'll want the ones without stems.
🔪 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.
- 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.
- 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.
🥫 Storage
Store at room temperature up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage. The sugar in the Maraschino cherries helps them to stay fresh without refrigeration - but this is not a good cookie to ship.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: Be sure the cherries are drained well and you've dried them with paper towels. The frosting won't stick otherwise.
- Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature - it's important to the way the cookies come out.
- If the dough seems too soft to roll into balls chill it for about 30 minutes.
- You can use any kind of cocoa you want. I really like the extra dark cocoa because it gives the cookies a deeper flavor.
- You can use any kind of chocolate chips - milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark, etc.
- Be sure to use real chocolate chips - not imitation chocolate or they won't melt right.
- Don't use an off brand sweetened condensed milk. Some of them make the ganache come out grainy - I prefer Eagle Brand.
- These freeze well for up to 3 months.
- If you happen to be taking these to an adults only event try soaking the cherries in Amaretto or bourbon overnight before you make them. Just pat them dry before using.
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I love Christmas recipes and all the traditions that go along with them!
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- Easy Christmas Desserts Board: Sweet Charcuterie
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If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 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 Confectioner's (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
- 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.
- Push a cherry into each one.
- Cover with the ganache.
- Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.
- Cool completely.
Ganache
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a small saucepan.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Heat until the chocolate is melted.
- Blend well.
- Add the Amaretto or cherry juice.
- Spoon on top of each cherry, covering it completely, before baking.
Notes
- Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature - it's important to the way the cookies come out.
- If the dough seems too soft to roll into balls chill it for about 30 minutes.
- You can use any kind of cocoa you want. I really like the extra dark cocoa because it gives the cookies a deeper flavor.
- You can use any kind of chocolate chips - milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark, etc.
- Don't use an off brand sweetened condensed milk. Some of them make the ganache come out grainy - I prefer Eagle Brand.
- These freeze well for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published December 3, 2014. Last updated November 6, 2020 for better images and readability plus to clarify instructions.
Janie
Made these today and SO glad I did! They are so decadent and rich. Thanks for the recipe Marye!