This cherry cookies recipe is the BEST maraschino cherry recipe. It’s quick, easy, and makes soft, delicious, pretty pink cookies that are full of cherry flavor without being too sweet.
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I LOVE maraschino cherries. Ever since I was a kid, I could eat an entire jar of them. If I make an ice cream sundae, it’s mostly cherries and cherry juice. Same thing for cocktails.
So it makes sense that my favorite cookie as a kid was my Auntie Jane’s Italian cherry cookie.
When I went to college, she made HUNDREDS of them for me to bring, freeze, and have a little bit of home whenever I wanted.
This cherry cookies recipe is very, very close to my Auntie Jane’s Italian cherry cookies.
I hope you enjoy this family recipe as much as I do!
For more simple cookie recipes, check out:
- Coffee Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cake Mix Cookies
- Grinch Cake Mix Cookies
Pink Cookies Recipe
My friend’s daughter calls these cherry cookies, “the pink cookies”.
And she’s OBSESSED.
The day after she tried them, she woke up asking for the pink cookies.😂
They can be addictive, especially if you like maraschino cherries.
Fortunately, this cherry cookies recipe gets its beautiful pink color from the maraschino cherries and maraschino cherry juice.
There is no additional food coloring.
Maraschino Cherry Cookies
This easy recipe makes a truly special cookie.
It’s slightly crispy around the edges and delightfully soft on the inside.
The pink color makes it the perfect cookie for Valentine’s Day, Bridal Showers, Baby Showers, Spring, or any other holiday.
My family has always added these cherry cookies to our holiday cookie trays - Easter, Thanksgiving, AND Christmas.
They’re a fun addition to the holiday season.
Looking for more unique cookie recipes? Check out:
- Fruity Pebbles Cookies
- Almond Joy Cookies
- Matcha Cookies with White Chocolate
Cherry Glaze
This cherry cookies recipe does not include chocolate.
The top of each cookie is drizzled with a sweet cherry glaze, which is easily made with just two ingredients - powered sugar and maraschino cherry juice from the jar.
If you would like to completely cover the top of each cookie with this glaze/icing, I recommend doubling the cherry glaze recipe below.
I originally intended for the glaze to be just a drizzle. It was to make the cookies more visually appealing.
It tastes SO good though. I completely understand if you want more.
When I make this cherry cookies recipe, I like to do a combo of drizzle, cover, and bare.
I drizzle the glaze on some cookies. I completely cover some other cookies with it. Then I leave the rest bare.
These cherry cookies taste just as good without anything on them.
Tips for Amazing Cookies
- Wear gloves when chopping the cherries. Otherwise, they WILL stain your hands. I had bright red hands for daaayyys.
- If your maraschino cherries have stems, please remove them before chopping.
- Don’t pat the cherries dry before chopping them. I tried this recipe both ways - drying them with a paper towel and leaving them be. Leaving them be (not drying or soaking up excess juice) creates moist cherry cookies.
- I mix this cherry cookie recipe by hand, but you can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
- There is no need to chill the dough. Just mix it, roll into 1-inch balls of dough (or use a small cookie scoop), put on a prepared cookie sheet, and bake. The dough doesn’t spread much while baking.
- I like to use parchment paper to prepare my baking sheets and put under my cookies while drizzling the glaze on top. It makes for easier clean up.
- Let the cookies cool completely before drizzling the tops with the cherry glaze. Otherwise, the glaze will not set. It’ll create a huge, undesirable mess.
I recently bought this Wilton 3-tier Collapsible Cooling Rack and I absolutely love it.
- After topping the cookie with the glaze, please allow the glaze to set before moving or storing the cookie. It happens pretty quickly.
Simple Ingredients
This maraschino cherry cookies recipe does not include any leavening agents. It is not a typo.
The recipe does NOT call for eggs, baking soda, or baking powder. They’re not needed.
These cherry cookies include softened butter, granulated sugar, maraschino cherry juice (from the same jar as the cherries), almond extract, vanilla extract, chopped maraschino cherries, all-purpose flour, and salt.
The cherry glaze that is drizzled on top of each cookie is made with powered sugar and more maraschino cherry juice from the cherry jar.
How to store these Cherry Cookies?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4-5 days.
Love all types of cherries? Check out this Simple No Bake Cherry Cheesecake Recipe.
I’d love to hear what you think about these cherry cookies below. Do they remind you of homemade Italian cherry cookies? What are your favorite recipes with maraschino cherries?
Cherry Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Cherry Cookies
- ½ cup Butter softened
- ¼ cup Sugar granulated
- 1 tablespoon Maraschino Cherry Juice
- ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Maraschino Cherries chopped
- 1 ¼ cup Flour
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Cherry Glaze
- ¼ cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 teaspoon Maraschino Cherry Juice
Instructions
Cherry Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove stems from maraschino cherries (if needed) and chop into pieces. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix softened butter and sugar together.
- Add the cherry juice, almond extract, vanilla extract, and chopped cherries. Mix until just combined.
- Add flour and salt. Mix again until combined completely.
- Scoop cherry cookie dough into dough balls and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown.
- Let cool completely. Preferably on a wire cooling rack.
Cherry Glaze
- In a small bowl, mix the powered sugar and cherry juice together until smooth.
- Once the cookies are cooled, place them on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over each cookie. If you would like to cover the entire top of each cookie, please double the glaze recipe.
- Allow the glaze to set.
- Enjoy!
Jake says
These are pretty brutal. Gummy texture and not enough sugar.
Bree says
The flavor is good, but mine melted into soupy puddles in the oven… was I supposed to chill them before baking? I’m not sure what I did wrong.
Elizabeth says
Can u freeze these cookies
Gretchen says
These cookies are wonderful! Very easy to make, a pretty cookie. The glaze is a must. I made them with gluten free flour and they turned out great, not crumbly. Thanks for a new classic!
Clarene says
I’m getting ready to make these, but I just don’t understand how there are no eggs in the recipe.
Lauren says
I just made these and they're awful! Like, where's the sugary flavor? Seems like 1/4 sugar wasn't enough.Tastes very floury. Definitely won't make again.
Taylor says
I made these with white chocolate chips instead of cherries, and I skipped the glaze. I like them though I wish they had more cherry flavor - my own fault though for skipping the cherries 😉
Carol H says
Use more almond extract.I did-delicious!
Bridget says
"I did delicious." Too cute. Made my day. ♥️
Fatikis says
I want to say, I never comment on this kind of thing.
But Taylor has some fucking balls to rate this 4* while saying she didn't follow the directions.
Why didn't you tell her to NOT use white chocolate?
Obviously, it is the recipes fault.
A pox upon you and a pox on your kin.
Missyblue says
Very tasty! Unfortunately though mine came out very round and didn't spread on the tray at all and are a bit dry. Thoughts on how to fix this?
Taylor P says
I have made a similar recipe for years and always receive compliments and requests for more but I do not normally add the glaze. Your recipe, with glaze had me remembering about 65 years ago when my Mom would make the identical glaze but much thicker. She would then lovingly and laboriously, frost marshmallows, one at a time, with the glaze. They were such a treat.
Nina says
These were l pretty, but admittedly a bit underwhelming. They did not spread at all even using the scoop-and-level method to measure the flour (so it wasn’t a matter of using too much). Possibly from the absence of egg? I’d suggest rolling them into a mound shape before baking. They had a doughy texture inside, but not in the yummy ooey-gooey way since they aren’t very sweet… I may try to modify a different spreadable sugar cookie recipe to achieve the same look/hint of cherry flavor. Another review said the frosting is “a must”. I agree with that. If you’re looking for a mildly-sweet, pretty cookie— these may be a good fit. They’re pretty. They’re edible. They probably won’t wow anyone.
Tim says
I see you recommend 4 or 5 days in the refrigerator
can they be frozen for the holidays? Thanks, Tim
sally says
Can I freeze these cookies?
spencer says
Just made the dough! tastes amazing, gonna freeze it till Christmas (Hopefully it'll hold up well in the freezer!) I also added some macadamia nuts 🙂
Gracie says
Was going for cookies not balls they don't flatten out like your typical cookie does. they were crumbly and mid over all use a different recipe
Ameller says
I never comment on sites but I just had to this time because my husband, who is not overly fond of sweets, asked to try one as soon as they came out of the oven, and then as soon as the first one disappeared, he asked to have another .
Not overly sweet, easy to make, just lovely. What a hit!
(Oh also by accident I added a 1/2 t of chocolate extract bc I mistook it for vanilla... really nice!)
Nancy says
Can you freeze these cookies with the glaze on top, or is it best to freeze them without it?
Jennifer says
I haven't made these yet BUT they sound perfectly doable and a lovely flavor treat as well as visual treat -- getting ready to make them within the hour. I may use extra almond flavor in a portion of them to see if I want to do that in future also.
Onefunmomy says
I made these for my cookie exchange this year and many of the girls asked for the recipe! They were super easy to make with very little ingredients. I will be making them again next year and for Valentine’s Day. Thank you for the recipe.
Christina says
Absolutely delicious! For the icing I added Disaranno along with confectionery sugar and cherry juice.
Nita Garner says
I made these to take to our Bible class; big hit! Recipe shared with several ladies. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Brianna L says
I made these today for Valentine's Day and they were incredible, my fiancé and I both loved them! I didn't have almond extract and used coconut extract instead, but they still turned out great. As a new baker, this recipe was super easy to follow and produced the most beautiful pink cookies I've ever seen, I couldn't believe I made something so cute! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Beth says
I make these on a fairly regular basis. They are one of the few recipes that translates to delicious when modified for a gluten free diet -- just use 1 to 1 gf flour and add an egg (gf stuff is a bit crumbly/dry) This time I added a little splash of milk and some chocolate chips and they came out moist!!
Erika says
Can they be done with almond flour?
Andreia says
Very good. It's the second time I've made this recipe and it turns out perfect.
June says
Easy and fun kid recipe. But lacks in flavor even with frosting, they definitely need more sugar and a leavening agent, not a good cherry flavor, waste of ingredients.
karen marino boykin says
Followed the recipe exactly as written, and they are delicious!
Thank you, and will definitely make again
Loulabelle says
So I was looking for inspiration to make some “cherry cookies” and this is where I landed! I followed the cookie recipe substituting brown sugar for white then went rogue. Added some chopped candied oranges and coconut flakes to the chopped cherries. I made a chocolate glaze with hot fudge, Amish butter, cherry juice and more brown sugar. I made these into 10 “drop biscuits” baked for 22 mins because I wanted them a little crunchy on the outside to counteract the chocolate glaze and voilà exactly what I was looking for! Thanks for the inspo!
Sam says
Delightful cookies. I drizzled the glaze on all of them and I even added an additional drizzle of white chocolate to half. Both were pleasant and pretty. I am sure chopped nuts would be great.
I have seen comments with some ignorant complaints I'd like to address.
1.) Not spreading enough.
These cookies should not spread at all. It is apparent in the pictures of the round cookies that they do not spread. I liked the round shape that came from using an ice cream scoop, but if you prefer a flat cookie, form it to your desired shape beforehand.
2.) Not sweet enough.
I personally liked that these cookies didn't use too much sugar. The texture did not suffer due to this. This is what the glaze is for. Do not skip a sweetened glaze or drizzle.
Brenda says
Loved these. I don’t even like cherries and I’m not a cookie person. I couldn’t stop eatin these. My husband loves cherries and loved these. I like that they don’t spread…not overly sweet. They do need the drizzle. Only changes I made were in the extracts. I used 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp almond, 1/2 tsp cherry extract. I also used cherry extract in the drizzle and added powdered sugar to thicken. I thought It was a perfect cookie. Thanks for sharing.
Kay Romeo says
These are delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, using a fork and sharp knife to cut into tiny squares. But I skipped the glaze and added a dark chocolate kiss on top while warm. It is like a chocolate covered cherry. Will maybe add a little more almond extract next batch.
One question - 15 cookies isnt enough. Am bringing to our neighborhood Christmas cookie swap. Can you double the recipe or do you have to make anew? Thank you!
Katie says
I made these years ago. The only thing that isn't shelf-stable is the butter, and you can freeze butter. Lord, this crowd is hard to please. Good job, Mishka. Someone needs to say it. Remember, everyone, she is simply sharing her wisdom with you, so try being a little kinder.