Easy Cherry Almond Cookies

Here is my favorite cherry almond cookie recipe, with a simple homemade dough that’s soft and chewy, plus fresh cherries and crunchy almonds mixed throughout for the perfect combination of flavors.

These cookies have become a summer tradition in our house, especially when fresh cherries are in season. I usually make a double batch because they disappear so quickly – and let’s be honest, cookies make the best afternoon snack with coffee, don’t they?

What Kind of Maraschino Cherries Should I Use?

For these cookies, you’ll want to look for traditional maraschino cherries – the bright red ones you typically find in the grocery store’s baking aisle or near the ice cream toppings. While premium brands like Luxardo make fancy dark maraschino cherries, stick with the classic bright ones here since they’ll give you that signature sweet flavor and pretty pink color in your cookies. Before adding them to your dough, make sure to chop them small and pat them really well with paper towels to remove excess moisture – this helps prevent your cookies from becoming too wet. If you can find them, the ones labeled “stem-free” or “baking cherries” will save you some prep time since they’re already pitted and ready to go.

Options for Substitutions

Let’s talk about what you can swap in this cookie recipe if you need to:

• Maraschino cherries: While these give the cookies their signature taste, you could use dried cherries soaked in warm water for 30 minutes. Just note that the color won’t be as bright. Candied cherries can also work during the holidays.
• Almond extract: Vanilla extract works if you don’t have almond, though you’ll lose some of that classic cherry-almond flavor. You could also try amaretto liqueur (use 2 teaspoons instead of 1).
• White and brown sugar: You can use all white sugar if needed, but the cookies won’t be quite as chewy. Just don’t use all brown sugar as it will change the texture too much.
• Vinegar: Any light-colored vinegar works here – apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar are good options. The vinegar helps activate the baking soda, so don’t skip it!
• All-purpose flour: Cake flour can work in a pinch (use 2 cups instead of 1¾), but avoid whole wheat flour as it will make the cookies too dense.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making cherry almond cookies is dealing with excess moisture from the maraschino cherries – be sure to chop and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels, or your cookies will spread too much and become thin and crispy instead of soft and chewy.

Another common mistake is overmixing the dough once you’ve added the flour, which can lead to tough cookies – mix just until the flour disappears and no more.

The dough might feel slightly sticky due to the cherry juice, but resist the urge to add extra flour as this will make your cookies dry and cakey – instead, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to handle and prevent excessive spreading during baking.

For the best texture and flavor, take the cookies out of the oven when the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underbaked, as they’ll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet and give you that perfect soft-centered result.

What to Serve With Cherry Almond Cookies?

These sweet and fruity cookies are perfect for pairing with your favorite hot or cold drinks! A cold glass of milk is always a classic choice, but try serving them with a hot cup of almond milk tea or coffee to really bring out those nutty almond notes. For an afternoon treat, these cookies go great with vanilla ice cream – you can even make little ice cream sandwiches with them. If you’re putting together a cookie platter, these cherry almond cookies work well alongside chocolate chip cookies or shortbread to create a nice mix of flavors and textures.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These cherry almond cookies stay soft and chewy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll taste great for up to 5 days – if they last that long! I like to put a piece of bread in the container to help keep them extra soft.

Freeze: The cookies freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just place them in a freezer bag or container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls for up to 3 months – perfect for when you want fresh-baked cookies in a hurry!

Make Ahead: The cookie dough can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before scooping and baking.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	10-12 minutes
Total Time	25-32 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 15-20 g
• Fat: 80-90 g
• Carbohydrates: 250-270 g

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 large egg (at room temperature)
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed well for moisture)
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 8 oz unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly)
• 2 tsp cherry juice from jar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 jar maraschino cherries (chopped, about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Step 1: Prepare the Cherries

Remove the maraschino cherries from their juice, removing the stems if necessary, and place them on a layer or two of paper towels.

Slice each cherry in half, then each half into 6 pieces, resulting in 12 small pieces per cherry.

Move the sliced cherries onto another paper towel to drain.

Once all the cherries are sliced, blot them dry with another paper towel and set them aside.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set them aside for later use.

Step 3: Make the Dough

In a medium to large bowl, melt ½ cup (113g) of butter.

Add ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar and ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar, whisking until fully incorporated.

Next, add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of almond extract, 2 teaspoons of cherry juice, and 1 teaspoon of vinegar.

Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.

Step 4: Incorporate the Dry Ingredients

Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of baking soda and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt over the wet mixture and stir well.

Add 1¾ cups (220g) of flour, stirring until just a little bit of flour remains visible.

Gently fold in the chopped and dried maraschino cherries until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 5: Scoop and Bake the Cookies

Using about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (a size 30 scoop works well), place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets.

Ensure they are spaced about 2 inches apart.

You should end up with around 18 cookies.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set.

Step 6: Cool and Shape (Optional)

Once baked, allow the cookies to rest on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

If the cookies haven’t flattened to your liking, lightly bang the pan on the counter a couple of times.

You can also use a large, round cutter to “scoot” the cookies into a perfectly round shape, if desired.