Description
Soft Cherry Garcia Cookies packed with chocolate chips, chopped maraschino cherries, and a touch of almond extract. These homemade cookies bake with crisp edges, soft centers, and plenty of nostalgic cherry-chocolate flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or use a seasoned baking stone.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing just until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in the chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour for thicker cookies with less spreading.
- Use a cookie scoop to place dough mounds about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly browned and the centers are just set.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 7 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- Pat the cherries dry with paper towels before mixing them into the dough to prevent excess spreading.
- Cold dough bakes thicker and keeps the cookies soft in the center.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Cookie dough can be frozen in scooped portions for later baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 140
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 29
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 28
