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These chocolate cherry cookies have been a family favorite for years. Chewy dried cherries, rich chocolate chunks, toasted pecans, and a hint of almond extract make them deeply flavorful and a little nostalgic. My mother-in-law has been making them for over a decade, and they have a permanent spot in our Christmas cookie box.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItThe best part? They’re just as good cold as they are warm. The dried cherries stay chewy, the chocolate stays rich, and they’re honestly the perfect late-night freezer snack.
Love a good cookie? Try my best chocolate chip cookies, butterless chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, and kitchen sink cookies.
★★★★★
“I have never had these cookies before! But the cherry in them was so unique and completely delicious! Can’t wait to make them again.” — Laura Reese
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- I love this recipe so much, I put it in my book Entertaining with Charm.
- Chewy, rich, and full of flavor from dried cherries and chocolate chunks.
- Almond extract is the secret ingredient. It deepens the cherry flavor in the best way.
- Freezer-friendly. They taste incredible cold, straight from the freezer.
- Make-ahead perfect for holiday cookie boxes, gifting, and entertaining.
Chocolate Cherry Cookie Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour: The base. Spoon and level for the right texture.
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature so it creams properly with the sugars.
- Granulated Sugar and Brown Sugar: The combination gives the cookies the perfect chewy-crisp balance.
- Old Fashioned Oats: Adds heartiness and chew. Egg: For structure and richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Use real vanilla.
- Almond Extract: Don’t skip it. It’s what makes these cookies special.
- Dried Cherries: The chewier and tarter, the better. Look for unsweetened or lightly sweetened.
- Pecans: Toast them first for the deepest flavor.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks: Chunks win out over chips here. The bigger, melty pools are everything.
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. (No sifter? A fine mesh sieve works great.)
- In an electric mixer, beat the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides as you go.
- Add the oats, dried cherries, chocolate chunks, and pecans. Mix on low until everything is just combined.
- Scoop the dough into balls with a cookie scoop and place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- About 12 cookies per sheet works best. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Recipe Tips
Use chocolate chunks, not chips. The melty pools of chocolate are what make these cookies look bakery-worthy.
Chop the cherries if they’re large. You want them distributed evenly so every bite has flavor.
Slightly underbake. Pull them when the centers still look soft. They finish setting on the pan and stay chewy for days.
Almond extract is everything. It’s the difference between a good chocolate cherry cookie and an unforgettable one.
How to Store
Freeze the dough: Roll into balls and freeze on a sheet pan. Once frozen, transfer to a bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes.
Room Temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Fridge: Up to 1 week. Let come to room temperature before eating.
Freezer (my favorite): Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Eat them straight from the freezer or thaw for 10 minutes.
FAQs
Stick with dried for this recipe. Fresh cherries release too much moisture and will make the dough wet. Dried cherries give you that chewy texture and concentrated cherry flavor.
You can leave it out, but the cookies won’t have that signature flavor. If you’re avoiding it, double the vanilla extract. Or try a teaspoon of cherry extract for an even bigger cherry hit.
Yes, they’re one of the best cookies to freeze. The dried cherries stay chewy and the chocolate chunks stay rich. Freeze in an airtight bag with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. They’re delicious eaten right from the freezer.
Swap the flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill. Tested and works well.
Almonds and cherries are botanical cousins (cherries are stone fruit; almonds are seeds of stone fruit). The two flavors deepen and amplify each other naturally. It’s the same reason almond pairs so beautifully with cherry pie and amaretto.
Absolutely. Try walnuts instead of pecans, dried cranberries instead of cherries, or white chocolate chunks instead of semi-sweet. Just keep the total volume of mix-ins the same.
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If you make these cookies, leave a comment and review below. I’d love to know what you think. Tag me @sugarandcharm on social so I can see your photos!
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Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- Cookie Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup butter , softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar , packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips , or chunks
- 1 1/2 cup tart dried cherries
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt.
- In an electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 tsp almond extract. Beat until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides as you go.
- Add 1 cup oats, 1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks, 1 1/2 cups dried cherries, and 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Mix on low until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough and place balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet (about 12 cookies per sheet).
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- Pull the cookies when the centers still look slightly underdone. They keep cooking on the pan as they rest, which is what keeps them chewy.
- Toast the pecans first. 5 minutes at 350°F before chopping. It makes a huge difference.
- These freeze beautifully. Store baked cookies in an airtight freezer bag with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. They’re delicious eaten straight from the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
When do you add the cherries?
The step for adding the cherries is missing from the recipe, but I just added them in at the same time I added the chocolate chunks. They came out great! They’re my son’s favorite and I make them for him whenever I see him!
Hi Eden, do you think it is possible to use gluten free flour if it is a 1:1 substitution for flour?
I think so! It might change the consistency, but I think they would still be yummy!
Thank you! I have made these multiple times in the last month and they are a HIT. Great fall cookie.
Thank you, Skylar! They’re one of my favorite cookies!!
When am I supposed to add in the oats? It is not stated in the directions.
Hi! Sorry about that, add them in with the chocolate chips. You can fold them in at the end too!
Step 6
I have never had these cookies before! But the cherry in them was so unique and completely delicious! Can’t wait to make them again.
Absolutely love the idea of cherry chunks in chocolate chip cookies!
These are the best cookies ever! Really love the cherry in them!
What temp do you bake them at?
Eden! These sound so so yummy!