Name: Recipe "Chocolate Cherry Cookies"
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2.25 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 0.5 tsp sea salt; 0.75 cup dutch processed cocoa; 1 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature); 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup light brown sugar; 2 eggs (large, at room temperature); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup chocolate chunks; 1 cup dried cherries

More recipes featuring dessert: Crispy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, Flourless Chocolate Cookies, or Cherry Oatmeal Bars.

Why I Bake These Soft and Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies Every February

I kick off February with these chocolate cherry cookies. They’re my way of celebrating my birthday month, the Super Bowl, and all the Valentine’s Day chocolate. These cookies are soft and chewy, studded with chocolate chunks and tart dried cherries. The contrast makes them irresistible straight from the oven with a glass of cold milk.

Why You’ll Love These Homemade Chocolate Cherry Cookies

The tart dried cherries balance the rich, sweet cocoa and chocolate chunks, every bite has a little pop of fruit.
These cookies stay soft and chewy for days, so you can bake them ahead.
They’re a crowd-pleaser for any February celebration, from game day to Valentine’s Day.

Key Ingredients for the Best Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Dried cherries: They add a tart chew that cuts through the sweetness. Look for them near the raisins or in the bulk section. Dried cranberries work as a substitute.
Dutch-processed cocoa: It gives a deeper chocolate flavor and darker color. Regular unsweetened cocoa works, but the cookies will be lighter and slightly less rich.
Chocolate chunks: Use good-quality dark or semisweet chunks so they melt into puddles. Chips are fine too, but chunks create bigger pockets of chocolate.

Baking sheet
Parchment paper or Silpat baking mat
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons)
Cooling rack

Tips for Perfect Soft and Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies

The keys to soft and chewy cookies are accurate measuring and not overbaking. Use a cookie scoop to keep portions uniform so they bake evenly. When the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone, pull them out. Let them rest on the hot baking sheet for 3 minutes before moving to a rack, that finishes setting the centers without drying them out.

Delicious Variations on Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Swap the dried cherries for dried cranberries or golden raisins for a different tang. Use milk chocolate chips if you prefer a sweeter cookie. For crunch, fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. A teaspoon of orange zest brightens the cherry flavor nicely.

How to Serve Your Chocolate Cherry Cookies

These cookies are perfect with a cold glass of milk. For dessert, sandwich a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies. On Valentine’s Day, arrange them on a plate with fresh strawberries and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

How to Store Your Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Layer them with wax paper to keep them from sticking. If they start to dry out, pop one in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften it up.

Freezing Chocolate Cherry Cookies for Later

Freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag or container for up to 1 month. You can also freeze scoops of dough on a sheet, then transfer to a bag. Bake frozen dough straight from the freezer, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.

Best Ways to Reheat Chocolate Cherry Cookies

For a just-baked feel, warm a cookie in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. If you prefer a slightly crisp edge, pop it in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes. Either way, the chocolate gets melty again.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Can I use fresh cherries instead of dried?

No, fresh cherries have too much moisture and will make the cookies soggy. Stick with dried cherries for the right chewy texture and concentrated flavor.

Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed?

Yes, you can substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder. The cookies will be a little lighter in color and slightly less rich, but they’ll still taste great.

Why did my cookies spread too much?

Overly soft butter is the most common cause. Make sure your butter is at room temperature but not greasy. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can also help limit spread.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Absolutely. Scoop the dough into balls, freeze on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.

Recipe

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

The chocolate cherry combo is perfection! Everyone loves these decadent and divine cookies!

easyVegetarian

10 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

20 min

Total Time

Servings

Dessert

Course

American

Cuisine

234 kcal

Calories

Ingredients

Servings

2.25 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp sea salt
0.75 cup dutch processed cocoa
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, large, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chunks
1 cup dried cherries

Instructions

1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
2
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cocoa. Set aside.
3
With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time. Next, add in vanilla extract and mix until combined.

4
Gradually add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chunks and dried cherries. Scoop the dough into rounded tablespoons and place on prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until cookies are set, but still soft in the center. Don’t overbake. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 3 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.
5
Note-store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days on the counter or you can store them in them in the freezer, in a freezer bag or container, for up to one month.

Nutrition (per serving)

234kcal

Calorie breakdown

Protein6%14 kcal

Fat36%90 kcal

Carbohydrates58%144 kcal

How this was calculated — 11 of 11 ingredients matched

all-purpose flourFlour, wheat, all-purpose, enriched, bleached1976 kcal

baking sodaLeavening agents, baking soda0 kcal

sea saltSalt, table0 kcal

dutch processed cocoaCocoa, dry powder, unsweetened410 kcal

unsalted butterButter, salted1721 kcal

granulated sugarSugars, granulated924 kcal

light brown sugarSugars, brown912 kcal

eggsEgg, whole, raw, fresh3 kcal

vanilla extractVanilla extract14 kcal

chocolate chunksChocolate, dark, 60-69% cacao solids1390 kcal

dried cherriesCherry juice, tart142 kcal

Serving size ≈ 60 g · 32 servings

Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.

Open in analyzer

Keyword: dessert, nutFree, Oven Baked, vegetarian

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.