These cherry almond cookies are soft, buttery and bursting with cherry and almond flavor! The perfect sweet treat to enjoy at the holidays.
Love buttery cookie recipes? Try these shortbread cookies, butter cookies or gooey butter cookies next!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Soft texture: With the addition of softened cream cheese these cookies have a similar soft texture to my cream cheese cookies.
- Flavorful: Maraschino cherries add sweet candied flavor, almond extract complements the cherries perfectly plus they have a delicious buttery flavor!
- Colorful: These are almost too pretty to eat with their bright red cherry pieces! They add a pop of color to any Christmas cookies tray and are perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Recipe Variations
- Chocolate chips: For maraschino cherry chip cookies, add 1 cup of semi-sweet or white chocolate chip morsels.
- More cherry cookie flavor: Use cherry extract in place of vanilla extract.
- Garnish: I added a white chocolate drizzle, but you can use a dark chocolate drizzle or even a tint a powdered sugar icing and add sliced almonds on top!
How to Make Cherry Almond Cookies
Cream butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until fluffy before adding sugar and beating until pale and airy. Mix in the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and maraschino cherry juice.
Mix in the dry ingredients on low until just combined then fold in the chopped cherries. Cover and chill dough for an hour.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 375°F, or until edges are golden brown. Cool on pan a couple minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle almond cherry cookies with melted white chocolate if desired.
FAQs
Unfortunately not as they will change both the texture and taste of the cookie. Maraschino cherries are quite a bit sweeter and using fresh cherries would affect the taste of the cookies as well as fresh cherries release moisture as they bake which will affect the cookie as well.
No. This recipe has only been tested with all-purpose flour and outcome of the cookie would not be good.
You could although these cookies are sweet as is and the white chocolate may make them overly sweet. I would stick with the white chocolate drizzle and if you wanted chips, try a dark chocolate chip.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Store cherry almond cookies covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator up to 6 days.
Cookie dough can be frozen up to 2 months and baked cookies can be stored in a freezer safe bag for 2-3 months. Baked frozen cookies need to be thawed uncovered as moisture can ruin them if covered during thawing process.
Other holiday cookie recipes we love include these almond cookies, Grinch cookies and Almond Joy cookies.
More Cookie Recipes
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Cherry Almond Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) jar maraschino cherries , reserving 1-2 Tablespoons cherry juice
- 1 ¾ cup (255 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese , at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg , at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup white chocolate melting wafers , optional
Instructions
- Place cherries on a plate lined with paper towels and let dry. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar on medium-high speed until pale and airy. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom of the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the egg, vanilla, almond extract, and 1 Tablespoon reserved cherry juice (use 2 Tablespoons for a very cherry flavor) until combined.
- Scrape the bottom of the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients on low until just combined. Fold in the chopped cherries. Chill dough at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (2 Tablespoons), portion the dough onto the baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn golden. Let cool on pan a couple minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- To top the cookies with white chocolate: Microwave the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at 30-second intervals, stirring in-between each, until melted. Transfer to a plastic bag (or piping bag). Snip off the tip of the bag's corner and drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies. (You can also drizzle the chocolate off a fork for ease, if preferred.) Let sit until the chocolate is firm to the touch.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
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Categorized as: American, Birthdays, Christmas, Cookies, Easter, Holiday Cookies, Valentine's Day, White Chocolate Cookies
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
My favorite – so much yummy flavor! I make these every Christmas and they are a hit with the family!
These cookies were so fun to make and turned out so cute! They taste amazing.
I love cherry and almond flavors together! These cookies are so soft & delicious & so pretty!