Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love
Love chocolate and cherries? You’ll adore these chocolate cherry thumbprint cookies. After making them dozens of times, I’ve perfected the recipe to ensure the perfect crispy exterior and gooey cherry center. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Moist Pistachio Pudding Bread That’s Guilt-Free and Delicious and Loaded Breakfast Burrito: Your Hearty Morning Game Changer.
Why This Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy chocolate cookie exterior
- Gooey cherry center
- Easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser
- Perfect for any occasion
What You'll Need for Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Maraschino cherries
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract (optional)
- Salt
- Optional: Chocolate chips (optional)
- Optional: Sprinkles (optional)
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Maraschino cherries: Make sure to drain the juice and pat them dry before using.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Food processor — Ensures even dough consistency and quick prep → See on Amazon
- Baking sheet — Even heat distribution for perfect cookies → See on Amazon
How to Make Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
- Form the cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Use your thumb to make an indentation in each cookie. Fill each indentation with a maraschino cherry and press down gently.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar: Once cookies are completely cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love
- Common mistake and fix: If your cookies turn out dry, it's likely because you overbaked them. To prevent this, keep an eye on the oven and remove the cookies as soon as they're set.
- Pro tip: For an extra touch of flavor, add a drop of almond extract to the dough.
- Pro tip: To ensure even baking, use a cookie scoop to form the dough balls.
Storing & Reheating Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Make-ahead tip: Dough can be made ahead and chilled for up to 24 hours.
Freezing Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love
Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: No need to reheat. These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature. Microwave: Not recommended. Microwaving may make the cookies soggy.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a festive touch, add a few drops of red food coloring to the dough for a more vibrant color.
- Best substitution: If you don't have maraschino cherries, you can use dried cherries or even chocolate chips for a different twist.
- Make-ahead: Dough can be made ahead and chilled for up to 24 hours. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or halved to suit your needs.
- Troubleshooting: If your cookies are spreading too much, try chilling the dough for a longer period or adding a bit more flour to the dough.
Want to level up this recipe?
Cookie scoop — Ensures even-sized cookies for consistent baking → Check price on Amazon
Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Maraschino cherries
- Powdered sugar
Seasonings
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract (optional)
- Salt
Optional Toppings
- Chocolate chips (optional)
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
- Form the cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Use your thumb to make an indentation in each cookie. Fill each indentation with a maraschino cherry and press down gently.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar: Once cookies are completely cooled, dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a festive touch, add a few drops of red food coloring to the dough for a more vibrant color.
- Best substitution: If you don't have maraschino cherries, you can use dried cherries or even chocolate chips for a different twist.
- Make-ahead: Dough can be made ahead and chilled for up to 24 hours. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or halved to suit your needs.
- Troubleshooting: If your cookies are spreading too much, try chilling the dough for a longer period or adding a bit more flour to the dough.
Storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Oven reheat: No need to reheat. These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature.
- Microwave reheat: Not recommended. Microwaving may make the cookies soggy.
- Make ahead: Dough can be made ahead and chilled for up to 24 hours.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 120
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 5g
- Carbs: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Cholesterol: 30mg
- Sat. Fat: 3g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love FAQs
Yes, you can make the dough ahead and chill it for up to 24 hours. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
It's likely because you overbaked them. Keep an eye on the oven and remove the cookies as soon as they're set.
Yes, you can use fresh cherries. However, they may not have the same sweetness and texture as maraschino cherries. You may want to adjust the sugar in the dough to compensate.
While you can try, the air fryer may not give the same results as a traditional oven. The cookies may not be as crispy or evenly baked.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Decadent Chocolate Cherry Thumbprint Cookies You’ll Love and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
