White Chocolate Cherry Cookies (Soft & Chewy Pretty Pink Cookies)
These white chocolate cherry cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with sweet cherries and creamy white chocolate chips. The cookies bake up thick with a tender texture and beautiful pink color, making them perfect for holidays, Valentine’s Day, baby showers, or anytime you want a pretty bakery-style treat. Easy to make and full of flavor, these cherry cookies stay soft for days and look as good as they taste.
Servings 22 cookies
Calories 245kcal
Cost $9 for entire recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Spatula
- Cookie scoop (2-tablespoon size)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- wire cooling rack
- Paper towels (for drying cherries)
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cherry extract optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup maraschino cherries drained and chopped
- pink gel food coloring
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cherry extract optional
- Pink gel food coloring optional
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup maraschino cherries drained, chopped, and VERY dry
Instructions
Prep the cherries
- Drain maraschino cherries and pat very dry with paper towels. Chop into small pieces and set aside. This prevents excess moisture in the dough.
Cream butter and sugars
- In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
Add eggs and flavor
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract, cherry extract, and food coloring if using.
Combine dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
Mix dough
- Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in mix-ins
- Gently fold in white chocolate chips and chopped cherries.
Chill dough
- Cover dough and chill for 30 minutes. This helps prevent spreading and improves texture.
Bake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Scoop dough into large balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes until edges are set and centers are slightly soft.
Cool
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Pat the maraschino cherries very dry before adding them to the dough. Excess moisture can cause the cookies to spread too much and become cakey instead of soft and chewy.
- Chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes for thicker, bakery-style white chocolate cherry cookies with better structure.
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid food coloring to keep the dough from becoming too soft. Gel coloring also gives a more vibrant pink color.
- For stronger cherry flavor, add cherry extract along with vanilla extract. This enhances the classic white chocolate cherry cookie taste.
- Slightly underbake the cookies for the best soft and chewy texture. The centers should look just set when removed from the oven.
- Add extra white chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough balls before baking for a prettier bakery-style finish.
- If the dough feels sticky, chill longer or lightly flour your hands when scooping. Maraschino cherries naturally add moisture.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and help the cookies bake evenly without over-browning.
- For thicker cookies, roll dough into tall balls instead of flattening before baking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft and maintain the chewy white chocolate cherry cookie texture.