Description
Homemade maraschino cherry bliss cookies combine sweet nostalgia with delightful cherry flavor. Delicate vanilla-infused dough studded with chopped cherries creates a perfect little treat for dessert lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups (267 grams) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups (360 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for garnish
- 1 cup drained & finely chopped maraschino cherries, plus extra for garnish
- Small amount of pink gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare Cherries: Drain maraschino cherries thoroughly, blot with paper towels, and finely dice to minimize excess liquid.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until perfectly blended.
- Create Base Mixture: Cream butter with brown and white sugars until fluffy and pale, creating a smooth foundation for the cookies.
- Integrate Wet Components: Blend eggs, vanilla and almond extracts, and pink gel food coloring into the butter mixture until uniformly incorporated and delicately tinted.
- Merge Ingredients: Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture with minimal stirring, maintaining a light, tender cookie consistency.
- Add Flavor Elements: Gently incorporate chopped cherries and chocolate chips, ensuring even distribution throughout the dough.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop uniform dough balls, strategically garnishing exteriors with additional chocolate chips and cherry fragments for enhanced visual and flavor profile.
- Bake Precisely: Arrange cookies on lined baking sheet with adequate spacing, then bake in a preheated 350º F (177º C) oven for 11-12 minutes, monitoring to preserve color and prevent excessive browning.
- Cool and Finish: Rest cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to complete cooling process, allowing flavors and texture to settle.
Notes
- Moisture Management: Thoroughly drain and pat dry maraschino cherries to prevent soggy cookies and maintain ideal texture.
- Mixing Mastery: Minimize stirring when combining dry and wet ingredients to keep cookies tender and soft.
- Color Control: Add pink gel food coloring gradually for consistent, delicate pink hue without overwhelming the dough.
- Precision Placement: Strategically embed extra chocolate chips and cherry pieces on cookie exteriors for enhanced visual and flavor appeal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg