• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Restless Chipotle

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Start Here
    • Ingredients Substitutions
    • Tips for Measuring Ingredients Accurately
  • About
  • Shop
  • Your Recipe Box
  • Meal Plans
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • My Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Start Here!
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • My Recipes
  • Meal Plans
  • Start Here!
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
×

Home » Recipes » Cookies Recipes

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Published: Nov 6, 2020 Last Updated: Dec 17, 2022 by Marye 1013 words. | About 6 minutes to read this article.

Chocolate covered cherry cookies are chewy and fudgy with maraschino cherries in the center and a creamy ganache frosting baked right on top. Each bite is a chocolate lover's dream!
Total time 15 minutes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
Cookies in a gift tin with a text overlay for Pinterest
Several chocolate covered cherry cookies on a white background with a text overlay for Pinterest.

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.

Cookie cut through the center to show the layers.
Jump to:
  • ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • 🥫 Storage
  • 💭 Tips
  • Related recipes
  • 📞 The last word
  • Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
  • 💬 Comments

❤️ 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

Labeled ingredients for this recipe.
  • 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. Be sure to drain cherries very well!

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

Step by step images for how to make the cookie dough.
  1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
  2. Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.
  4. Form the dough into 36 balls using about a heaping teaspoon of dough for each. Roll the dough in confectioner's sugar.
Step by step images for how to make the ganache and cover the cherries.
  1. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a small saucepan. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  2. Heat until the chocolate is melted. Add the Amaretto or cherry juice and blend well.
  3. Push a cherry into the center of each ball of dough. Spoon chocolate over on top of each cherry, covering it completely.
  4. 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 to drain maraschino cherries 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 chocolate cherry cookies to an adults only event try soaking the cherries in Amaretto or bourbon overnight before you make them. Just pat them dry before using.
  • Making this for a cookie tray assortment? Add peanut butter Rolo cookies and gingerbread snowballs for variety!
Overhead view of a tin filled with chocolate covered cherry cookies.

Related recipes

I love Christmas recipes and all the traditions that go along with them! Here are plenty of Christmas cookie recipes plus lots of information on storing, shipping and more!

  • Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes Recipe
  • Christmas Cookies Recipes
  • Easy Christmas Desserts Board: Sweet Charcuterie
  • Sugar Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Kisses
  • Peppermint Kiss Cookie
  • White Chocolate Covered Cherries
  • Santa's Whiskers Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Rolo Cookies
  • 80 Best Christmas Cookies
  • Chewy Cinnamon Cookies
  • Condensed Milk Cookies

📞 The last word

If you're putting together a candy assortment you'll want to check out these homemade candy recipes.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Closeup of chocolate covered cherry cookies.
4.93 from 13 votes

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Print Pin Recipe Save Go to Collections
Prevent your screen from going dark
Chocolate covered cherry cookies are chewy and fudgy with maraschino cherries in the center and a creamy ganache frosting baked right on top. Each bite is a chocolate lover's dream!
Course Dessert - Cookies
Cuisine Amercian Heritage,Holiday
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings:36
Calories:120
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • Stand mixer
  • Baking Sheet

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

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

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

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.
  • 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.
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.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Sign up for the emails and never miss another recipe!!

    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.

    More Homemade Cookie Recipes

    • Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Bakery Sugar Cookies Recipe
    • Pecan Cranberry Cookies
    • Air Fryer Sugar Cookies
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Janie

      January 16, 2021 at 4:57 pm

      5 stars
      Made these today and SO glad I did! They are so decadent and rich. Thanks for the recipe Marye!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




    Primary Sidebar

    Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

    Hey Y'all, I'm Marye.

    NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies.

    More about me →

    ❤️Valentine's Day

    • Red Velvet Puppy Chow for Valentine's Day
    • 50 Red Velvet Recipes for Every Occasion
    • Red Velvet Bundt Cake
    • 10 Best Chocolate Gifts

    👑 Reader Favorites

    • Crispy Fried Potatoes
    • English Muffin Bread Recipe
    • No Fail Amish White Bread
    • Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

    10 Best Hamburer Casserole Recipes

    (Just click on the button at the bottom of each page to see the recipe)

    10 Best Hamburger Casserole Recipes

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Marye Audet-White
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Policy
    MaryeAudet Whiteandherchildren Dec

    Featured in:

    Companies that Marye Audet-White and Restless Chipotle have been affiliated with.

    Contact Marye

    • Contact

    My new blog for bread bakers:

    Love baking bread? Click here to check out my new blog!

    Logo for breadcrumbs in the butter blog.
    Check out my new blog!

    Copyright ©2006 - 2023 Restless Chipotle Media, LLC