Chunky Cherry Chocolate Cookies
These Chunky Cherry Chocolate Cookies are loaded with chopped fresh cherries, chocolate chunks and roughly chopped salted almonds. A sweet, salty, and juicy cookie with just the right amount of crunch.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
These cookies have a little bit of everything in each bite—sweet, juicy cherries, deep chocolatey flavor, and the salty crunch of almonds.
Using fresh cherries creates pockets of soft, jammy texture you just can’t get from dried fruit.
The salt on the almonds brings out the chocolate’s intensity and balances the natural sweetness of the fruit. It’s the kind of sweet-and-salty combo that keeps you coming back for another bite.
Instead of chocolate chips, these cookies are packed with generous chocolate chunks, which melt into big, uneven pockets of chocolate throughout the dough.
These babies are large, so every bite includes plenty of chocolate, cherries, and almonds. That chunky texture—both from the mix-ins and the size of the cookie—makes them feel hearty and indulgent.
Now all you need is a glass of milk or a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Granulated Sugar – I use only white sugar in this recipe rather than a mixture of brown and white sugar. White sugar absorbs more moisture than brown sugar. Since the fresh cherries will give off some moisture the white sugar can absorb any excess so the cookies will still bake up with a crisp edge.
- Fresh cherries – I use fresh Bing cherries for this recipe. I don’t recommend using frozen cherries as they will give off too much juice when you fold them into the dough.
- Chocolate chunks – I actually use chocolate callets, which are kind of like giant chocolate chips. It’s how I buy all my semi-sweet chocolate so I always have them in the pantry. Any semi-sweet chocolate chunks from the market can be used. The key is to have large chunks of chocolate, rather than small chips.
- Salted almonds – I like lightly salted toasted almonds in this recipe. The little hit of salt and crunch is the perfect textural and flavor contrast to the cherries. Cherries and almonds have a natural flavor affinity since the center of a cherry pit has a bitter almond flavor.
- Almond Extract – Is there to reinforce the almond flavor.
Step by Step Photos
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Coarsely chop the almonds and cherries. Use chocolate chunks so all the mix-ins are a similar size.
- Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs and dry ingredients.
- Add the almonds and chocolate chunks on the mixer.
- Fold the cherries in by hand so they don’t break down.
Use a 1/4 cup measure or cookie-scoop to portion the dough into large balls. At this point you can choose when to bake:
- Bake right away: Place the scooped dough on the prepared baking sheets and bake as directed. If you bake the dough as soon as it’s mixed it will spread and yield flatter and wider cookies.
- Chill first (recommended for thicker cookies): Chill the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours before baking. Chilling gives the flour time to absorb moisture which prevents the cookies from spreading too much. The resting time also intensifies the flavors. You can scoop the soft dough as soon as it’s mixed then chill the dough balls before baking or you can chill the dough in the bowl and scoop right before baking. You may need to add 1-2 minutes to the baking time for chilled dough.
- Freeze for later: Arrange scooped dough balls on a tray and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Allow the dough balls to sit at room temperature while you pre-heat the oven so they partially defrost. Add about 3-4 minutes to the baking time.
- These are big cookies so you’ll need to leave plenty of space for the dough to spread as it bakes.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes. Then you can slide the paper off the hot pan and onto the cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make Ahead & Freezing Tips
- You can bake these cookies immediately after mixing, but chilling the dough for at least an hour gives you thicker cookies with more developed flavor.
- For longer storage, freeze the scooped dough balls on a sheet pan until solid. Transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months.
- When you’re ready to bake, line the frozen dough balls onto parchment lined sheet pans and leave them at room temperature while the oven preheats to partially defrost. Add 3-4 minutes to the baking time.
If you just can’t wait to satisfy your cookie craving, bake a few cookies then refrigerate or freeze the rest to bake as the mood strikes.
Storage
Cherry Chocolate Cookies are best the day they are baked. They will keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days, but they will soften during storage.
I recommend baking as many cookies as you’ll eat in a day or two then refrigerate or freeze the rest of the dough to bake as you like.
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Cherry Chocolate Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounces all-purpose flour (2 cups, see note)
- 1 ounce dutch process cocoa powder (¼ cup)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 8 ounces unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 12 ounces granulated sugar (1 ½ cup)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 ounces chocolate chunks (1 cup)
- 4 ounces almonds (1 cup, coarsely chopped)
- 8 ounces Bing Cherries (stemmed, pitted and coarsely chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a bowl, whisk together 10 ounces all-purpose flour, 1 ounce dutch process cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon table salt and set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, beat 8 ounces unsalted butter with 12 ounces granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and aerated. Add 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Turn off the mixer and scrape the bowl. With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until the flour is partially incorporated. Add 6 ounces chocolate chunks and 4 ounces almonds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in 8 ounces Bing Cherries.
- Using a 2 oz (1/4 cup) scoop, portion the dough into balls. Place the cookie balls onto the sheet pan, spacing them 3" apart if you will bake the same day, or closer together to freeze. (see note) You can bake the cookies immediately, but for best results I recommend chilling the cookie balls for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours before baking. You can also chill the dough in the bowl and portion right before baking.
- Bake until the edges of the cookies are set and the tops are lightly puffed and still soft, about 10 minutes. If the dough is cold add 2-4 minutes to the baking time. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pan then you can slide the parchment paper off the pan and onto a cooling rack. Cool until the cookies are firm enough to handle without breaking apart.
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