Chocolate cookies hold a cherry in the center with a chocolate frosting over the top creating a cookie reminiscent of chocolate covered cherries.
Chocolate covered cherries seem to be one of those candies that people have a strong opinion about – they either love them or hate them. To me, I can’t imagine Christmas without them! When I was younger, I remember my mom would always have a box of them wrapped under the tree for each child. I always thought it was such a treat to have a whole box of those chocolates to myself!! And now that I’m older, I still have to buy myself a box every year, or it just doesn’t feel like Christmas!
Back in August, I read a book called The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke. The main character in the book owns a bakery, and several of her cookie recipes are included in the book. As soon as I read about these Chocolate-Covered Cherry Delights, I knew that I wanted to try them out. I copied down the recipe, and have been waiting for the perfect time to make them. And now that the Christmas season is in full swing, there couldn’t be a better time!!
Now, if you don’t like the liquid-filled chocolate covered cherries, don’t worry – these cookies don’t resemble the candies too much. There is chocolate, and there are cherries. But the cherry flavor actually takes a back seat to the chocolate. Me – I loved these cookies. They are a little bit different than most cookies in that you put the frosting on the cookies before baking. I had to read the instructions a few times, thinking that they were wrong, but in the end, everything worked out perfectly. You’ll want to make sure you don’t over-bake the cookies – they should still be soft.
I’m so glad this is how I chose to kick off the Christmas season!!
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Chocolate-Covered Cherry Delights
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 dozen cookies 1x
Description
Chocolate cookies hold a cherry in the center with a chocolate frosting over the top creating a cookie reminiscent of chocolate covered cherries.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 10–oz. jar maraschino cherries*
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Melt the butter and mix in the sugar. When the mixture has cooled off a bit, add the egg and mix. Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla and cocoa, stirring after each addition. Add the flour and mix well. The dough will be stiff and a bit crumbly.
- Drain the cherries and reserve the juice.
- Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place on a greased cookie sheet, 12 per sheet. Press down in the center of each ball to make an indentation. Place one cherry in each indentation.
- In a double boiler, combine the chocolate chips and the sweetened condensed milk. Heat on low, stirring, until the chocolate chips have melted. Start adding in some of the reserved cherry juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the sauce is thick and will glob off a spoon. If it won’t glob off, keep adding juice until it is the right consistency. Spoon a small bit of the sauce over the center of each cookie – just enough to cover the cherry. It shouldn’t drip down the sides.**
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes:
*you probably won’t use the whole jar of cherries
**I had quite a bit of the chocolate frosting left over. Good thing it makes a great snack on top of graham crackers!!
Crystal says
Hi. I actually am an avid fan of the book series myself and have made several of the cookies. But these are a lot of fun to make. Doesn’t hurt that this is my moms favorite cookie and candy. So I make it for her every year for her birthday. I use the left over topping on ice cream or use it as cake icing.
Trish says
I can’t wait to try these. I needed a different cookie. Along with the others I made from you. 2 quick questions 1-Is the Cocoa sweetened or unsweetened? 2-Butter salted or unsalted,
eatme_delicious says
And how could I forget to mention how good these cookies look!
eatme_delicious says
Those chocolate covered cherries always look so gross to me but I loooove maraschino cherries, and these cookies remind me of blackforest cake which my husband loves. In other words, I will be saving this recipe. 🙂 I want to try reading those Joanne Fluke books!
Natalie says
I've had a similar cookie (but the cherry is stuffed inside the cookie) and loved it! Can't wait to make these!
GreenIdMama says
I hope you join out 2010 Bake Swap
http://caldeltamommies.blogspot.com/2010/11/2010-bake-swap.html
We would love to link your recipes to us, and maybe even have one of your recipes be our recipe of the day!
grace says
maraschino cherries are gross unless they're covered with chocolate. to me, anyway. festive cookies, deborah, well done.
Katie says
These look gorgeous and I love cherries and chocolate together too
Melody Fury - GourmetFury.com says
What a stunning holiday recipe! Would you like to submit it to my contest to win a cookbook? Just wanting to share the holiday cheer (and exposure to your blog) Would love for you to win 🙂 http://ow.ly/3j61M
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
I have both a jar of maraschino cherries and griottines waiting to be used – this might be a perfect option and I bet my cherry loving cousin would adore them.
Jennifurla says
Oh these are awesome, very inventive! I love all of your pictures here too, what a suprise in each cookie…possibilities are endless
Christy {The Girl Who Ate Everything} says
The last photo is gorgeous. Love them. Wish I had them in my belly now!
Melanie says
What a unique Christmas cookie! I loved the shot of the cherry in the middle of the cookie. They look amazing! And that sounds like a really interesting book to read…
Holly says
Yum!! I love chocolate covered cherries:) These cookies look fab!
Joanne says
Mmm chocolate covered cherries are GOOD STUFF. I love that you basically baked them into cookies! How delicious.
kat says
These are traditional in my husbands family's house over Christmas. He loves them!
kat says
These are traditional in my husbands family's house over Christmas. He loves them!
Chocolate Shavings says
Those little treats are perfect for the holidays – so festive!
Kim says
I made a recipe like this many years ago and loved them. I haven't seen them since and have been looking for the recipe. Thanks for sharing it. I'm adding this recipe to my list.
Barbie and Kyle says
YUM! I can't wait to try them. I have added cherries to my shopping list.
Jenny says
Those really are the cutest cookies ever!
Maria says
Delightful indeed!
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
Great cookies! They look divine.
Cheers,
Rosa
Cassie says
I love these too! This is actually my favorite Christmas cookie. I don't even like maraschino cherries, but you're right — they're completely transformed in these cookies. They go on my cookie trays every single year!
Jersey Girl Cooks says
I love these! I make them every year!
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
Is it wrong for me to desperately want 3 of these for breakfast?