When it comes to indulgent treats, I have to say, that Chewy Dark and Chocolate Cherry Cookies are in a league of their own. They’re loaded with intense chocolate flavor and tangy dried cherries, meeting the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Plus, with an easy-to-follow recipe, they’re as simple to make as delicious—I can never get enough of them!
If you are looking for more cookie recipes, let me share a few others you will love as well as this one. Linzer cookies aren’t the easiest to make, but they are well worth the effort. My cranberry orange biscotti cookies are a newer recipe and one I am so proud of—they are delicious! My recipe for brown butter pecan cookies is also absolutely irresistible!
Ingredients
- Butter- be sure it is softened
- Brown sugar- this uses all brown sugar, some recipes use a blend of granulated and brown sugar, but this uses only brown sugar.
- Eggs- They will blend best if they are at room temperature.
- Vanilla
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder- I like to use Hershey’s dark cocoa powder for a rich, dark color.
- Baking soda- I prefer the texture it produces as opposed to baking powder.
- Salt- Kosher salt is my preferred.
- Dark chocolate chips or chunks
- Dried cherries
How to make
Mix the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set this aside. Add the softened butter and brown sugar to a medium-sized bowl. Cream until it is light, about 1-2 minutes on medium speed. To this, add the eggs and vanilla. At this point, only mix until the eggs and vanilla are combined.
Add the flour mixture to this, and again, only mix until it is combined. The dark chocolate chips and dried cherries are last. Once they are mixed in, cover the dough and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Scoop the cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Since these cookies are dark chocolate, it is a little harder to see when they are done. I like to go by time and check the edges of the cookies. They should be baked on the edges, but still soft in the center.
Notes
- While these cookies are rich and dark, you can also use semi-sweet or even milk chocolate chips if you want to lighten them up a bit.
- Adding in chopped pecans and walnuts is a good idea as well if you like the nuts. There are few combinations better than chocolate, dried cherries, and nuts.
- Chilling the dough is essential for a chewy cookie. They can certainly be baked right away, but are even better having been chilled.
- Freezing these cookies is a great way to preserve them for later baking. I like to scoop them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place them in the freezer to freeze until they are solid. Once they are frozen, store them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They will hold in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw before baking.
More Cookie Options
Are you looking for other cookie options? I have a few I would love to share!!
- These stamped gingerbread cookies are popular right now!
- Lemon cookies with lemon drizzle are also a big hit!
- I personally really love these chocolate chip cookies with pretzels and caramel. They are a classic with a fun twist!
- Carrot Cake Cookies always rank high on the blog!
Chewy Dark Chocolate and Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups brown sugar loosely packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cherries
Instructions
- Mix the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set this aside. Add the softened butter and brown sugar to a medium-sized bowl. Cream until it is light, about 1-2 minutes on medium speed. To this, add the eggs and vanilla. At this point, only mix until the eggs and vanilla are combined.
- Add the flour mixture to this, and again, only mix until it is combined. The dark chocolate chips and dried cherries are last. Once they are mixed in, cover the dough and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Scoop the cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Since these cookies are dark chocolate, it is a little harder to see when they are done. I like to go by time and checking the edges of the cookies. They should be baked on the edges, but still soft in the center.
Viki says
Omg Amy, made these this morning and they are the BEST! My new go-to cookie! Ty, ty, ty
admin says
Awesome Viki!! I love them!