Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Cookies (Slice & Bake)

stack of chocolate cherry cookies on white countertop

5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Cookies (Slice & Bake)

Chocolate Maraschino Cherry Cookies are soft and brownie-like slice and bake cookies studded with sweet maraschino cherries, pistachios, and white chocolate. Perfect for your Christmas cookie trays, holiday season gift giving, and Valentine's Day.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Freezing Time4

Total Time4 25

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 89kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cherry Cookies

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup dark cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, room temperature 1 stick
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup maraschino cherries, quartered pat dry with paper towels
⅓ cup chopped white chocolate
⅓ cup chopped pistachios

For Dipping & Decorating, optional

1 ½ cups chopped white chocolate
1 ½ teaspoons shortening
chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, decorative sugar, sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg.
In a separate bowl, whisk or sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt together. Stir in the cherries, ⅓ cup chopped white chocolate, and chopped pistachios.
On low speed, mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
Divide the dough in thirds. Place one third of the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use wet fingers to roughly shape the dough into a log.
Fold the parchment paper over the log and use it to roll the dough into a 1 ½ to 2-inch by 6 to 8-inch log. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
Freeze the dough logs for at least 4 hours. I freeze mine overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Slice the frozen dough into ½-inch thick slices. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the tops are no longer shiny. Be careful not to overbake; check them early.
Let the cookies cool on the baking pan for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.

Decorate the Cookies

Place 1 ½ cups chopped white chocolate and the shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Continue to heat and stir in 10-second increments until it is completely melted and smooth.
Working quickly, dip each cookie into the white chocolate. Use a fork to remove drips from the bottom of the cookie and place it on parchment.
Reheat the chocolate in the microwave, as necessary.
Decorate cookies with mini chips, chopped nuts, sugars, and sprinkles while the white chocolate is still wet.
Chill the cookies until the chocolate has set.

Notes

Chop the pistachios and white chocolate into small pieces to make slicing the frozen logs of cookie dough easier
Use parchment paper to roll the logs of cookie dough. It's firmer than wax paper or plastic wrap, will hold the round shape better, and makes transporting and storing much easier.
To keep the logs of cookie dough round, store them in a cut-open paper towel tube in the freezer or rest them on something that will support the shape, like a bag of rice.
If dough logs have flat edges after you roll them, freeze the logs slightly to let them firm up a bit, roll out any flat edges on the counter, and let them freeze the rest of the way.
Use a very sharp knife to slice the cookie dough.

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