Description
Cherry Almond Cookies are delightful, chewy cookies bursting with the sweet, fruity flavor of maraschino cherries and the nutty aroma of almond extract. These no-chill cookies are easy to prepare and bake in just over half an hour, perfect for a quick homemade treat featuring tender pieces of diced maraschino cherries folded into a buttery, sugar-sweetened dough.
Ingredients
Cherries
- 1 - 12 ounce jar maraschino cherries, diced small and patted dry (340g)
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice
- 1 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (220g)
Instructions
- Prepare the cherries: Remove maraschino cherries from their juice, discard stems, and place cherries on one or two layers of paper towels. Slice each cherry in half, then cut each half into 6 small pieces, resulting in 12 pieces per cherry. Transfer the chopped cherries onto a fresh paper towel and blot to dry thoroughly; set aside.
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats for non-stick baking and set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients with sugars: In a medium to large bowl, melt the butter. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar, whisking until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Add eggs and flavorings: Add the large egg, pure almond extract, maraschino cherry juice, and vinegar to the butter-sugar mixture. Whisk the mixture thoroughly until combined and smooth.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Sprinkle baking soda and kosher salt over the wet mixture, stirring well. Add the all-purpose flour and stir until only a little bit of flour remains visible; do not overmix. Gently fold in the dried, chopped maraschino cherries.
- Portion dough onto baking sheets: Using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (a size 30 cookie scoop works well), place dough portions onto the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart. This should yield approximately 18 cookies.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft.
- Cool and shape: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. If the cookies have not flattened enough, gently tap the pan on the counter and use a large round cutter to scoot and shape cookies into perfect rounds. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make sure to thoroughly dry the chopped maraschino cherries to prevent excess moisture in the cookie dough.
- If you prefer a stronger almond flavor, you can add a little extra almond extract, but avoid overdoing it to prevent bitterness.
- Allowing the cookies to rest briefly on the baking sheet before transferring helps them set and hold shape better.
- You can substitute white vinegar for apple cider vinegar if preferred.
- Chilling the dough is not required for this recipe, making it perfect for quick baking sessions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
