Cherry chocolate gingerbread cookies with chewy dried cherries and distinct semi-sweet chocolate pockets in a molasses dough.
Hold back a few cherry pieces and chocolate chunks to press onto the tops of the dough portions before baking.
Chopped dried cherries distribute more evenly than whole fruit and add less moisture than fresh cherries.
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Cherry Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
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 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop
- Two 13 × 18-inch light-colored baking sheets and parchment paper
- Wide spatula and wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Cookie dough
Spice blend
Fruit and chocolate
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.
Instructions
Cream and combine
- Beat 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 the chopped dried cherries and chocolate chunks into the dough after mixing in the flour.
Firm the dough
- Cover 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.
Portion evenly
- Heat 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.
Check the centers
- Bake 11–13 minutes until edges are set and centers no longer look glossy-wet. Cherries and chocolate may hide cracks, so judge the exposed dough. Cool pans before the next batch.
Let the structure set
- Rest 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
Reserve a small handful of chopped cherries and chocolate chunks, then press them onto the dough portions before baking so they remain visible on the dark cookies.
Judge exposed dough
Melted chocolate stays glossy; check the cookie dough for doneness rather than the chocolate.
Storage and 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. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze cooled cookies airtight. Thaw covered at room temperature. |
| Restoring | 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
Estimated nutrition per serving; brands and portion sizes vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Gingerbread Cookies Ideas collection.
