Soft Cherry Cookies

These merry cherry shortbread treats turn basic stuff into holiday wonders that mix buttery goodness with sweet cherries and decadent chocolate. They're ideal for swapping with friends, and they've become my go-to Christmas gift that pals ask about way before December hits.

I whipped these up for my first Christmas after getting married. My hubby's mom wanted the recipe right away, and we've kept making them every year since—going on fifteen years now!

What You Need

• Unsalted butter: Soft but not melty gives you that wonderful melt-in-your-mouth feel and lets you add just the right amount of salt
• Powdered sugar: Makes the cookies more delicate than regular sugar would and stops them from feeling grainy
• Vanilla extract: Brings a cozy taste that works well with the sweet cherries
• All-purpose flour: Gives the cookies structure without making them tough, and unbleached tastes better
• Salt: Makes all the flavors pop and balances the sweetness
• Maraschino cherries: Add holiday color and sweetness, just make sure they're dried well so your cookies don't get soggy
• Chocolate chips: Add rich flavor against the cherries, and dark ones taste most grown-up

How To Make Them

Soften The Butter:

Mix soft butter in your mixer until it's smooth and fluffy. Your butter should be soft enough to work with but not melty, which helps create tiny air bubbles for the right cookie texture.

Mix In The Sweet Stuff:

Add your powdered sugar and vanilla then start mixing slowly, going faster until everything looks pale and fluffy after about 3 minutes. This puts air in your dough so cookies turn out tender.

Get Your Dry Stuff Ready:

Mix flour and salt in another bowl and run it through a sifter. This gets rid of lumps and makes sure salt spreads evenly so every bite tastes the same.

Put Everything Together:

Add your flour mix to the butter mix and mix just until it comes together. Don't mix too much or cookies get tough, so stop when you can't see flour anymore and scrape the bowl sides as you go.

Add The Fun Parts:

Stir in chopped cherries and chocolate chips by hand until they're spread out in the dough. Gentle stirring keeps cookies tender while making sure every bite has good stuff in it.

Make Your Log And Cool It:

Put dough on plastic wrap and roll it into a tight log about 2 inches around, pushing out air bubbles. Wrap it tight and put it in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight so butter gets hard and cookies won't spread when baking.

Cut And Bake:

Heat oven to 325°F and cut your cold dough into rounds between 1/4 and 1/3 inch thick. Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment with 1 inch between each and bake for 15 minutes until edges look slightly golden.

Let Them Set:

Leave cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. These cookies break easily when hot and need time to firm up.

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My hidden trick is actually how cold the butter is. While most people say to use room temp butter, I only let mine sit until it gives a little when I press it but isn't totally soft. This slightly firm butter makes the texture that's made these cookies famous in my family.

Keeping Them Fresh

These shortbread goodies stay nice longer than most cookies. Keep them in a sealed container at room temp for up to a week. Put parchment between layers so they don't stick together and keep them away from warm spots or sunshine which can make the chocolate look weird.

If you want them to last longer, put the finished cookies in a freezer container with parchment between layers for up to three months. Let them sit out about 30 minutes before eating. The raw dough log wrapped in plastic and then foil will stay good for two months so you can cut and bake fresh cookies whenever you want.

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Getting Them Just Right

The big secret to great shortbread is watching temperatures. If your cookies spread too much, your butter was probably too warm or you didn't use enough flour. Try baking one or two cookies first and if they spread, mix an extra spoonful of flour into the rest of the dough. If they seem too dry or crumbly, use a bit less flour.

When cutting up maraschino cherries, put them between paper towels and press lightly to get rid of extra juice before adding them to the dough. This stops the cherry juice from turning all the cookie pink and keeps the dough from getting too wet.

For nice even slices, chill the log until firm then turn it a quarter turn after each cut. This keeps the log from getting flat on one side. If the dough breaks when cutting, let it warm up for 5 minutes before trying again.

Fun Changes To Try

Make these cookies even more special for holidays with easy changes. For a fancy look, dip half of each cooled cookie in melted white chocolate and add crushed candy canes on top. Or swap the vanilla for almond extract which tastes great with cherries.

For a fancy version, use good dark chocolate chunks instead of chips and add 1/2 teaspoon of espresso powder to the dough to make the chocolate taste even better. In summer, these work great with fresh cherries that you've pitted, dried well, and chopped up.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What makes these cookies spread too much?

Too much butter or not enough flour can cause spreading. Chill the dough and measure everything properly to keep them from flattening in the oven.

→ Can margarine be used instead of butter?

Stick with unsalted butter for the best flavor and texture. Margarine will change both, so it’s not recommended.

→ How do I keep the dough from falling apart while slicing?

If the dough is crumbly, let it warm up slightly and press it together. Make sure to distribute the cherries and chocolate evenly throughout the mix.

→ Which cherries work best for this recipe?

Maraschino cherries are the go-to choice, but you can also use drained candied cherries for extra sweetness and texture.

→ How should these cookies be stored?

Keep them in a sealed container at room temperature for up to seven days or refrigerate/freeze for longer freshness.