Cherry chocolate gingerbread cookies with chewy dried cherries and distinct semi-sweet chocolate pockets in a molasses dough.
Fresh cherries release extra juice and are not a direct substitute.
Dried cherries provide concentrated fruit without the moisture of fresh cherries. Chop large pieces before folding them in with the semi-sweet chunks. This dough has no cocoa, keeping chocolate pockets and cherry pieces distinct.
Cherry Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies
Per tray: 11–13 minutes · 4 trays of 10 cookies on 13 × 18-inch pans
Allow 157 minutes: 25 hands-on, 60 chilling, 52 for all baking trays, 20 cooling. Cooling includes the pan rest. Optional decoration, ingredient warm-up and extra trays add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Digital kitchen scale and US measuring cups/spoons
- Large mixing bowl and electric mixer
- 1-tablespoon cookie scoop
- Two 13 × 18-inch light-colored baking sheets and parchment paper
- Wide spatula and wire cooling rack
Cherry chocolate gingerbread cookies with chewy dried cherries and distinct semi-sweet chocolate pockets in a molasses dough.
Ingredients
Scale ingredients and US equivalents, including eggs. Keep cookie size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. More trays add time; weigh beaten egg for fractional batches.
Cookie dough
Spice blend
Fruit and chocolate
Instructions
Mix
- Cream and combineBeat butter and both sugars for 2 minutes. Mix in molasses, then egg and vanilla; scrape the bowl. Whisk flour, soda, salt and spices separately, then mix into the wet ingredients just until combined. Fold in the listed fruit and chocolate, if included, after mixing in the flour.
Chill
- Firm the doughCover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. If chilled longer than 2 hours, let stand about 20–30 minutes until scoopable; keep it cool rather than greasy.
Shape
- Portion evenlyHeat to 350°F (175°C) conventional or 325°F (165°C) fan. Scoop 40 equal portions of about 25 g, roughly 1 1/2 tablespoons. Space 3 inches apart on lined pans. No sugar coating is needed.
Bake
- Check the centersBake 11–13 minutes until edges are set and centers no longer look glossy-wet. Fruit and chocolate may hide cracks, so judge the exposed dough. Cool pans before the next batch.
Cool
- Let the structure setRest 5 minutes on the pan, then lift onto a wire rack. Cool another 15 minutes before sealing airtight. Cookies firm as they cool; do not bake until hard.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Use dried cherries
Fresh cherries release extra juice and are not a direct substitute.
Chop large pieces
Small pieces distribute more evenly and make scooping easier.
Judge exposed dough
Melted chocolate stays glossy; check the cookie dough for doneness rather than the chocolate.
Storage & Make-Ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 3–4 days | Cool completely, then store airtight in a cool room. |
| Refrigeration | Raw dough: up to 2 days | Wrap dough tightly. Plain baked cookies do not need refrigeration. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze portions airtight; thaw covered in the refrigerator before baking. |
| Cooked freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze cooled cookies airtight. Thaw covered at room temperature. |
| Restoration | Before serving | Warm undecorated cookies briefly at 300°F for 3–5 minutes if desired; cool before decorating. |
Notes
- Dried cherries provide concentrated fruit without the moisture of fresh cherries. Chop large pieces before folding them in with the semi-sweet chunks. This dough has no cocoa, keeping chocolate pockets and cherry pieces distinct.
Nutrition
Approximate per-serving values from generic ingredient weights and stated yield, including listed toppings and fillings. Excludes optional decoration and bench flour. Leftover coating or icing, ingredient brands and actual yield change these estimates.
RECIPE REVIEWEDGINGERBREADGINGERBREAD COOKIES
Frequently Asked Questions
A few helpful answers before you bake.
Can I use fresh cherries?
Use dried cherries; fresh fruit adds unaccounted moisture.
Is there cocoa in the dough?
No. The chocolate is added as distinct semi-sweet chunks.
Must I soak the cherries?
No. Add the dried cherries directly after chopping; soaking changes moisture.
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