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Soft and chewy cherry chip sugar cookies topped with pink cherry baking chips and sparkling pink sanding sugar, stacked on a ceramic plate over a light marble surface.
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🍒 Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies

Soft, buttery Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies loaded with sweet cherry baking chips and a hint of almond extract. These bakery-style cookies have tender centers, lightly crisp edges, and stay soft for days.
Course Cookies, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword bakery style sugar cookies, buttery sugar cookies, cherry baking chips cookies, cherry chip cookies, cherry chip sugar cookies, cherry cookies, chewy sugar cookies, easy cherry cookies, holiday sugar cookies, homemade cookie recipe, homemade sugar cookies, pink cookies, soft cherry cookies, soft sugar cookies, Valentine’s Day cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 210kcal
Cost $10 for entire recipe

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Measuring cups and measuring spoons
  • Rubber spatula
  • Whisk
  • Cookie scoop (1½ tablespoon size)
  • Baking Sheets
  • Parchment paper
  • wire cooling rack
  • Plastic wrap or airtight container (for chilling the dough)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry baking chips
  • Pink sanding sugar optional

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until smooth and fully incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined.
  • Fold in the cherry baking chips.
  • Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls.
  • Roll the dough balls in pink sanding sugar if desired.
  • Place the cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and gently flatten the tops.
  • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers remain slightly soft.
  • Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Use Properly Softened Butter

For the best Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies, start with butter that is softened but not melted. Properly softened butter creams easily with the sugars, creating a light and fluffy dough that bakes into soft, tender cookies. If the butter is too warm, the cookies may spread too much during baking.

Don't Skip the Chilling Time

Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes helps prevent excessive spreading and improves the overall texture of the cookies. The dough becomes easier to handle, and the flavors have time to develop, resulting in thicker and more flavorful Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies.

Measure Flour Carefully

Too much flour is one of the most common causes of dry cookies. For the most accurate results, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife rather than scooping directly from the container. Proper measuring helps ensure a soft and chewy texture.

Get the Most Cherry Flavor

Cherry baking chips provide sweet cherry flavor throughout every bite. If you'd like a more pronounced cherry taste, you can add a small amount of cherry extract. Start with just 1/4 teaspoon so the flavor complements the buttery sugar cookie base instead of overpowering it.

Create a Bakery-Style Look

For picture-perfect cookies, press a few extra cherry baking chips onto the tops of the dough balls before baking. This simple step adds visual appeal and makes the cherry flavor more noticeable in every cookie.

Avoid Overbaking

The cookies should look slightly soft in the center when you remove them from the oven. The residual heat from the baking sheet will continue cooking them as they cool. This technique helps create soft centers with lightly crisp edges.

Customize the Cookies

These Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies are easy to customize. Try rolling the dough balls in pink sanding sugar for extra sparkle, adding white chocolate chips for a sweeter variation, or incorporating a small amount of cherry extract for a stronger fruit flavor.

Perfect for Any Occasion

These colorful cookies are ideal for Valentine's Day, baby showers, birthday parties, holiday cookie trays, bake sales, and everyday baking. Their soft texture and sweet cherry flavor make them a crowd-pleasing dessert that both kids and adults will love. 🍒🍪