Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies
Cherries have been a recent source of inspiration for new recipes here on posh, like the Shirley Temple Macarons shared last month. Today we’re keeping the cherry theme going, with new Cherry Chip flavored sugar cookies, infused with bits of maraschino cherries and vanilla bean throughout. The flavors, a nod to the classic Cherry Chip Cake, that we grew up loving, yet elevated with all natural maraschino cherries and bourbon vanilla bean paste. Although the cookies were initially made with Valentine’s Day in mind, they can easily be enjoyed no matter the season, topped with royal icing, or buttercream!
Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies
A new sugar cookie flavor inspired by the classic Cherry Chip Cake, complete with bits of all natural maraschino cherries and bourbon vanilla bean paste. Classic flavors with a grown up twist and an easy way to enhance the flavor of classic sugar cookie dough.
Cherry Chip Cookie Inspiration
The cherry chip sugar cookies are not only inspired by the nostalgic Cherry Chip cake that we all know from our childhood, but also the incorporation of maraschino cherries in recipes, which has recently grown in popularity!
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Cherry Chip History
The cherry chip retro cake flavor dates back to the early 1900s and was commonly homemade by incorporating the finely chopped maraschino cherries and cherry juice into cake batter, to give it the signature cherry flavor and pink hue. Cherry chip cake gained popularity and eventually became a top box cake mix flavor, commonly used for birthday parties and celebrations. Though now considered a seasonal or limited flavor by commercial brands, we can easily keep the retro favorite alive by creating homemade Cherry Chip desserts!
Cherry Chip cookie flavor
The cookies are buttery and maraschino cherry forward with sweet vanilla bean throughout the dough. With each bite you’ll enjoy the all natural maraschino cherries which also add texture to the cookies. The cookie dough is less sweet to balance the flavor of the cherries, and icing, but when combined tastes very reminiscent of the cake, yet in cookie form.
All Natural Maraschino Cherries
All natural maraschino cherries, are less sweet, non-GMO and free of high fructose corn syrup. They have a wonderful cherry flavor and are naturally colored, which is why they were the perfect ingredient option for these cherry chip sugar cookies! The selection of the maraschino cherries is totally optional, but worth the price for the quality and flavor.
Ingredients & Supplies
Below is the list of ingredients and supplies you’ll need to bake your own batch!
Ingredients:
Cookies: Butter of choice, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla bean paste, maraschino cherries, cherry extract, baking powder, kosher salt, ap flour. Icing: Powdered sugar, water and meringue powder, pink food coloring.
Supplies:
Cookie cutters, 2 baking sheets, parchment paper, rolling pin, piping bag fitted with star tip.
How to make the Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies
The cookies are considered are easy on a baking and decorating scale. Below are the step by steps.
Mix butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then mix in the eggs, vanilla bean paste, and extract cherry extract. Once combined mix the flour, baking powder and salt, and finely chopped maraschino cherries. You’ll know the dough is ready when the mixing bowl is clean and the dough attaches to the paddle. If it feels sticky you can add flour 1 tbsp at a time until the dough attaches to the paddle. No chilling required.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll the dough out onto a parchment lined or flour dusted surface. Roll out to 1/4″ thick and cut into shapes of choice.
Be sure to press the cutters down firmly through the dough to cut through any cherry pieces.
Peel excess dough from cut cookies and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 4-5 minutes max. Pull cookies before they are golden brown.
Repeat steps for all cookies.
While the sugar cookies are baking, make the piping consistency royal icing. Transfer a portion to a piping bag fitted with a star piping nozzle, thinning the rest to flood consistency.
Outline and flood the cookies letting them dry for 2-3 hours before completing the decorations.
Once dry, pipe a scalloped border around the top and bottom edges of the cookies and decorate with cherry sprinkles.
Store in an airtight container until ready to enjoy.
Substitutions
The cookies are amazing as is, but can the recipe can be adapted to align with your preferences.
- Maraschino Cherries: The all natural maraschino cherries are optional and can be swapped out for any kind of maraschino cherries you have on hand.
- Butter: This recipe can be made with any butter of choice. For plant based, you may need to increase the flour slightly. Start by adding 1 tbsp of flour to the dough until the correct consistency is achieved.
- Extract/Paste: The bourbon vanilla bean paste is totally optional and can be swapped for regular vanilla extract or vanilla bean. You can also swap the cherry extract for any extract you have on hand.
- Royal Icing: Decorating the cookies with royal icing is optional. Buttercream also works well.
Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 50
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 24+ 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking, Cookies
- Cuisine: Desserts
Description
A new sugar cookie flavor inspired by the classic Cherry Chip Cake, complete with bits of all natural maraschino cherries and bourbon vanilla bean paste. Classic flavors with a grown up twist and an easy way to enhance the flavor of classic sugar cookie dough.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) butter or plant based alternative
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3–4 drops cherry extract or flavoring
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour (+ extra, for rolling)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped all natural maraschino cherries.
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp meringue powder
- 1/4 cup + tbsp warm water
- vanilla extract
- pink gel food coloring
- 2 Baking Sheets
- Star piping nozzles for decorating cookies
- Piping bag
- Parchment paper
Instructions
Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies
- Pour measured flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, mix butter and sugar together for 2- 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the edges of the bowl.
- Beat the egg, vanilla and cherry flavoring into the butter and sugar until smooth and fully combined.
- Pour in the chopped maraschino cherries and mix until incorporated into the butter sugar and egg mixture.
- Pour dry mix (flour, baking powder & salt) into the butter, egg and sugar, mixing on medium.
- Mix until the cookie dough forms and attaches to the paddle.
- The mixing bowl should be mostly clean when the dough is ready to roll out.
- If it feels sticky add flour 1 tbsp at a time until the dough attaches to the paddle.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Roll dough out onto parchment lined or flour dusted surface to 1/4″ thick.
- Use cookie cutters of choice to cut the dough into shapes, making sure to press down on the cutters firmly to cut through the cherry bits.
- Remove excess dough around the cut cookies, or lift with an offset spatula and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 4-5 minutes pulling before the cookies are golden brown. This will ensure that the cookies remain soft with a light crumb after cooling.
- Repeat steps for all cookies.
- Set baked cookies on a rack to cool.
- Decorate.
Royal Icing:
- Combine the water and meringue powder in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer.
- Whisk on medium high for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes foamy and forms very soft peaks.
- Then switch to a paddle attachment and pour in the powdered sugar. Mix on medium until the icing is thick like toothpaste. Add additional warm water a few drops at a time until the icing is a thick piping consistency and still holds a folded peak.
- Mix in splash of vanilla or extract of choice.
- Color soft pink with gel food coloring
- Transfer 1/3 of piping consistency to a piping bag fitted with star tip.
- Transfer a small portion of remaining piping icing to a tipless piping bag and seal closed.
- Thin remaining icing to flood consistency. It’s ready with lines within the icing disappear in 5-6 seconds.
- Transfer to piping bag and seal closed.
Decorating:
- Outline and flood cookies with icing and allow 2 hours to set.
- Then use the piping consistency icing to pipe a scalloped border in soft pink, for a vintage feel.
- Decorate with cherry sprinkles or icing transfers.
- Let finished cookies set for another 2-4 hours.
- Store in an airtight container or serve.
- Keep in container for 3 days or up to 6 months in the freezer.
The next time you have a taste for cherry chip, give these sugar cookies a try!
Decorated with royal icing, they are sweet and elegant play on the classic cake and would make for a fun and unexpected cookie flavor at your next gathering!
If you enjoyed today’s recipe comment below and share with friends over on social and Pinterest. If you happen to try the recipe be sure to tag me @poshlittledesigns.
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