Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies are the kind of old-fashioned treat that makes a cookie tin instantly popular: a rich, cocoa-dark dough wrapped around a juicy maraschino cherry, finished while still warm with a glossy chocolate-cherry frosting. The recipe makes four dozen, so it is built for sharing — holiday platters, gift boxes, neighbor drops, and any gathering where you want a dessert that looks special but tastes like childhood.

Unlike a plain chocolate chip cookie, each chocolate covered cherry cookie hides a whole blotted-dry maraschino cherry pressed halfway into a stiff one-inch ball of dough. After a 10-to-12-minute bake at 350°F, the still-warm cookies get their signature look: about a teaspoon of silky frosting, made from semisweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and a little reserved cherry juice, drizzled over each cherry. The combination of deep cocoa, buttery crumb, fruit-sweet cherry, and milk-chocolate glaze is exactly what the name promises.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A maraschino cherry inside every cookie — they are pressed halfway into each ball before baking, not just sprinkled on top
• Rich cocoa dough made with baking cocoa for a dark, fudgy cookie without melted chocolate
• Silky chocolate-cherry frosting from semisweet chips, sweetened condensed milk, and cherry juice
• Classic creaming method — butter and sugar beaten until pale and fluffy, no mixer stand required beyond a bowl and whisk
• Makes 4 dozen (48 cookies), perfect for holiday cookie tins, gifting, and parties
• Mostly pantry staples: flour, cocoa, sugar, butter, an egg, and a jar of cherries
• Only about 10 to 12 minutes per batch in the oven

The original recipe admits these cookies require a little extra effort, but insists they are worth it — the author makes them for every family gathering, where they never last long. The extra effort is really just two things: forming 48 neat balls and drizzling the frosting while the cookies are still warm. Both are easy with a little patience, and the payoff is a cookie that looks far more impressive than its ingredient list suggests.

What Do They Taste Like?

The cookie itself is buttery, tender, and deeply chocolatey from the half cup of baking cocoa — richer than a vanilla sugar cookie but not as dark or as bitter as a brownie. Because the dough is stiff, the crumb holds its shape in the oven and stays slightly crisp at the edges while the area around the cherry stays soft. The maraschino cherry adds a sweet, bright, almost candied fruit pop in the middle, and the frosting finishes each bite with a milk-chocolate gloss and a faint cherry-almond scent from the cherry juice. Together they taste like a chocolate-covered cherry candy that happens to be a cookie.

Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Bake Time: 10 to 12 minutes per batch
• Total Time: About 30 minutes prep, plus 10 to 12 minutes per batch
• Yield: 4 dozen (48 cookies)
• Oven Temperature: 350°F
• Pan: Bare (ungreased) baking sheets
• Source: Recipe by Marie Kinyon of Mason, Michigan, tested by the Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Ingredients

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For the Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 48 maraschino cherries, blotted dry

For the Frosting

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 to 3 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice

Ingredient Notes

Butter: Just half a cup, softened so it creams properly with the sugar. Softened butter should hold a dent from your finger but not look greasy or melted — if the butter is too warm, the dough can spread in the oven.

Sugar: One cup of granulated sugar sweetens the dough and helps it crisp at the edges. Some published versions of this cookie add brown sugar or roll the balls in extra sugar; this one sticks to white sugar, which keeps the cocoa flavor in charge.

Egg and vanilla: One large egg at room temperature binds the stiff dough, and 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla round out the almond-cherry notes of the maraschino.

Baking cocoa: Half a cup of unsweetened baking cocoa gives the dough its dark chocolate color and deep flavor without the cost of melted chocolate bars.

Flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda: 1-1/2 cups of flour with a small amount of salt and both leaveners. The leaveners are modest — these cookies are meant to be fairly dense and firm enough to hold a cherry.

Maraschino cherries: 48 cherries, one per cookie, blotted dry before they go into the dough. Blotting keeps excess jar syrup out of the dough so the balls hold their shape. Save a little of the jar juice — the frosting needs 1 to 3 teaspoons of it.

Semisweet chocolate chips: One cup melted into the frosting with condensed milk. Semisweet keeps the glaze from cloying against the very sweet cherries.

Sweetened condensed milk: Half cup makes the frosting silky and pourable, and it thickens into a soft glaze as the cookies cool.

Maraschino cherry juice: 1 to 3 teaspoons in the frosting for flavor and a rosy tint. Some versions call for up to 4 teaspoons; this source’s range is 1 to 3 — start at 1 and add more to taste.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer, or a sturdy whisk
• A second bowl for whisking the dry ingredients
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Two bare (ungreased) baking sheets
• A small saucepan and a whisk for the frosting
• A wire cooling rack
• A spoon or small scoop for portioning the dough into one-inch balls
• Parchment paper or a silicone mat for easy cleanup, if you like (the source calls for bare sheets)

Substitutions and Variations

The recipe source does not list substitutions, so the ideas below are optional suggestions, not part of the original recipe:

• Use milk chocolate chips in the frosting if you prefer a milder, sweeter glaze.
• Halve or quarter the cherries if you want more almond-cherry flavor spread through each cookie instead of one big center piece.
• Add about 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the dough for a nutty take on the classic.
• For an extra-chocolatey finish, dip the cooled cookies in melted chocolate instead of drizzling the condensed-milk frosting.
• Swap the cherries for glacé or candied fruit if you want a different look in the cookie tin — the method stays the same.
• Bake as mini cookies (about 1 teaspoon of dough each with a cherry piece) and check them a few minutes early.

How to Make the Recipe

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Start by creaming the softened butter with the sugar until pale and fluffy — about 5 to 7 minutes — then beat in the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, and stir this into the butter mixture gradually. The dough will be quite stiff, and that is exactly right: a firm dough is what keeps the cherry snug inside each ball. Portion the dough into 48 one-inch balls, place them on bare baking sheets, and press one blotted-dry cherry halfway into each. Meanwhile, warm the chocolate chips with the condensed milk in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking until smooth, then take it off the heat and stir in the cherry juice. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F, and while they are still warm, drizzle about a teaspoon of frosting over each cherry. Cool on a wire rack and the frosting sets into a glossy glaze.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Beat the butter with the sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes, then mix in the egg and vanilla extract.
2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir the dry mixture gradually into the butter mixture — the dough will be quite stiff.
3. Form the dough into 48 one-inch balls and arrange them on bare baking sheets. Press one blotted-dry maraschino cherry halfway into each ball.
4. For the frosting, gently warm the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a small saucepan over low heat, whisking continuously until smooth.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 to 3 teaspoons of maraschino cherry juice until the frosting is silky.
6. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. While each cookie is still warm, drizzle roughly a teaspoon of frosting over its cherry.
7. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack before serving or storing.

Tips for Success

• Beat the butter and sugar a full 5 to 7 minutes. Pale, fluffy creaming gives the dough lift and a tender crumb instead of a dense puck.
• Blot the cherries dry. Excess jar syrup loosens the stiff dough and can make the cookies spread.
• Press the cherry in halfway, not all the way through. The dough should close over most of the cherry so it stays put in the oven.
• Keep the dough chilled if your kitchen is warm. If the balls soften before baking, pop the tray in the refrigerator for 10 minutes (general guidance, not from the source).
• Use bare (ungreased) sheets as the recipe directs; a dark or greased pan can brown the bottoms faster.
• Whisk the frosting constantly on low heat. Chocolate and condensed milk scorch quickly, so keep the heat gentle.
• Drizzle while the cookies are warm. The frosting sets into a smooth glaze as they cool; on fully cooled cookies it just sits on top.
• Taste the frosting before drizzling and adjust the cherry juice between 1 and 3 teaspoons — more juice means a stronger cherry flavor and pinker tint.

How to Know They’re Done

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F and look for cookies that are set with lightly golden edges, while the tops around the cherries still look slightly soft. Because each cookie hides a cherry in a stiff dough, they firm up quickly — if the edges are browning deeply or the centers look dry, you are a minute or two past the window. Let them cool just enough to handle, then drizzle the frosting while the warmth is still in them. Baking time can vary by a minute or two depending on your oven and the size of your balls, so use the second batch to dial in the timing.

What to Serve With It

Chocolate covered cherry cookies need almost nothing — a glass of cold milk, a cup of coffee, or a mug of hot cocoa is the classic pairing, and they are naturals on a holiday cookie platter beside a few more chocolate desserts. For a themed spread, set them next to our Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies, our Christmas Cherry Bombs, and our Black Forest Cinnamon Rolls for an all-chocolate-cherry dessert table.

Storage Instructions

The recipe source does not give storage instructions. As general guidance for frosted chocolate cookies: let them cool completely, then keep them in a single layer (or with parchment between layers) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to about 1 week. The frosting softens in humidity, so avoid storing them in a damp spot. Refrigeration can extend that a little but may make the frosting firmer and the crumb drier — bring cookies back to room temperature before serving.

Freezing Instructions

The recipe source does not give freezing instructions. As general guidance, these cookies freeze well baked and frosted: freeze them in a single layer on a tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag with parchment between layers for up to about 2 to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature so the glaze stays glossy. You can also freeze the portioned, cherry-filled dough balls on a tray and bake them later, adding a minute or two to the bake time (general guidance, not from the source).

Common Mistakes

• Under-creaming the butter and sugar. Five to seven minutes matters — a quick stir leaves the cookies dense instead of tender.
• Not blotting the cherries. Syrup-heavy cherries loosen the stiff dough and can cause spreading.
• Softening the dough too much before shaping. Warm dough is hard to portion into neat one-inch balls and bakes flat.
• Baking past 12 minutes. The edges should be lightly golden, not dark; these cookies dry out fast once overbaked.
• Frosting fully cooled cookies. The glaze needs the cookies’ warmth to set smooth — cold cookies get a clumpy topping.
• Overheating the frosting. High heat breaks the chocolate-condensed milk mixture; keep it low and whisk the whole time.
• Crowding the baking sheets. Leave a little space between the 48 balls (two sheets, two batches) so they bake evenly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cookies does this recipe make?

Four dozen — 48 cookies. The dough portion is one-inch balls, one cherry per cookie, which is how the yield lines up exactly with the 48 cherries.

What temperature do I bake them at?

350°F for 10 to 12 minutes per batch, until set with lightly golden edges.

Why is my dough so stiff?

That is normal — this recipe uses a full cup of sugar, half a cup of cocoa, and only half a cup of butter, so the dough is much stiffer than a classic chocolate chip cookie. The stiffness is what lets each ball grip its cherry during baking. If it is crumbly rather than stiff, the butter may have been too cool; cream it a bit longer.

Do I have to grease the baking sheets?

No. The recipe calls for bare, ungreased sheets. If you prefer, parchment or a silicone mat makes cleanup easier without changing the bake.

Can I use maraschino cherry juice from the jar?

Yes — that is exactly what the frosting uses, 1 to 3 teaspoons. Drain the jar after blotting the cherries and save the syrup.

Can I make these ahead for the holidays?

Yes. As general guidance, freeze baked frosted cookies or the portioned dough balls, or bake the day before and store airtight at room temperature — they keep well for a week.

Are these cookies gluten-free?

No. The recipe uses 1-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and does not offer a gluten-free substitution.

Why did my cookies spread or lose their cherries?

Most often the dough was too warm — butter too soft, dough rested too long, or cherries weren’t blotted dry. Keep everything cool and firm, press cherries in halfway, and bake on bare sheets at 350°F.

Recipe Background

Chocolate covered cherry cookies are a mid-century American classic, born from the same pantry that gave us chocolate-covered cherry candy: a jar of maraschino cherries and a bag of chocolate chips. Maraschino cherries — originally preserved marasca cherries, today the bright red candied cherries most of us know — were already a fixture of soda fountains and holiday baking by the time recipes like this one circulated through community cookbooks. This specific version comes from recipe contributor Marie Kinyon of Mason, Michigan, and was tested by the Taste of Home Test Kitchen, where it became a holiday perennial: the author notes that although the cookies require a little extra effort, they are worth it and never last long at family gatherings. The chocolate-condensed milk frosting is the giveaway of its era — sweetened condensed milk has been stirring into American cookie and bar recipes since the early 1900s because it makes a silky, no-fuss glaze straight from a can. Our own take on the chocolate-cherry pairing, the Black Forest Cinnamon Rolls, follows the same flavor logic to bakery-style results.

Conclusion

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies deliver the whole candy-store experience in a single-bite cookie: a cocoa-dark, buttery crumb, a bright maraschino heart, and a glossy chocolate-cherry glaze poured on while the bake is still warm. With 48 in a batch and a bake that takes barely 10 to 12 minutes per tray, they are the kind of recipe that earns its keep on every holiday cookie plate — pack a few in a gift box, set some aside for yourself, and expect the tin to empty fast. Happy baking!

More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love

• Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Christmas Cherry Bombs – Festive Peppermint White Chocolate Treats
• Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies
• Decadent Black Forest Cinnamon Rolls – 12 Bakery-Style Chocolate Cherry Rolls
• Glazed Fruitcake Shortbread Cookies

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Made This Recipe? Tell Us!

Did you make these Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies? We would love to hear how they turned out — did you use the full 3 teaspoons of cherry juice in the frosting, or keep it closer to 1? Did you add nuts, or keep them classic? Share your experience in the comments below and tell us where your cookie tin went first.

Nutritional Information

Per cookie (1 of 48), from the recipe source:

Nutrient	Amount per Serving
Calories	89
Total Fat	3g
Saturated Fat	2g
Cholesterol	10mg
Sodium	43mg
Total Carbohydrates	15g
Sugars	11g
Fiber	0g
Protein	1g

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