Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Sea Salt

These cherry chocolate chunk cookies are inspired by the cookies in your photo: thick, soft-centred cookies packed with juicy red cherries, chunks of dark chocolate, and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt. They have crisp, golden edges, a tender and slightly chewy middle, rich melted chocolate, and little bursts of tart cherry throughout.

The combination of cherries + dark chocolate + buttery cookie dough + sea salt makes these especially delicious. Fresh cherries are ideal when they are in season, but frozen cherries can also work with a few adjustments.

Servings: 12 large cookies
Prep time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: 45–60 minutes
Bake time: 12–15 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

For the cookies

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1½ cups (225 g) fresh cherries, pitted and roughly chopped
• 1½ cups (255 g) dark or semisweet chocolate chunks
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, for tossing the cherries
• Flaky sea salt, for topping

Optional additions

For an even more bakery-style cookie, you can add:

• ½ cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon orange zest

The almond extract is particularly good with cherries, while espresso powder intensifies the chocolate flavour without making the cookies taste like coffee.

Description

Imagine a classic chunky chocolate-chip cookie, but with juicy cherries folded into the dough. The outside becomes golden and lightly crisp while the centre stays soft and chewy. Large pieces of chocolate melt into pockets throughout the cookie, while the cherries provide tartness and moisture.

A final sprinkle of flaky sea salt balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate taste richer.

For the closest appearance to the cookies in your image, use large chocolate chunks rather than small chocolate chips and reserve a few cherry pieces and chocolate chunks to press onto the tops before baking.

Instructions

1. Prepare the cherries

If using fresh cherries, wash and thoroughly dry them. Remove the pits and cut the cherries into roughly ½-inch pieces.

Place the chopped cherries on several layers of paper towel and gently pat them dry. This is important because excess cherry juice can make the dough too wet.

Transfer the cherries to a small bowl and toss them with 2 tablespoons of flour.

The flour lightly coats the fruit and helps prevent the cherries from releasing too much moisture directly into the dough.

If using frozen cherries, thaw them completely first. Drain very well and pat them dry before chopping and flouring.

2. Cream the butter and sugars

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together for about 2–3 minutes.

The mixture should become lighter, creamy, and fluffy.

Don’t rush this step. Properly creamed butter and sugar contribute to the cookie’s texture and help create those slightly crisp edges.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.

If you’re using almond extract, add it at this stage as well.

The mixture may look slightly curdled after adding the eggs. That’s completely fine.

4. Combine the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

• Flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Fine sea salt
• Cinnamon, if using
• Espresso powder, if using

Mix until everything is evenly distributed.

5. Make the dough

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.

Mix on low speed just until the flour is almost incorporated.

Do not overmix.

A few streaks of flour are okay at this point. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the finished cookies tougher instead of soft and chewy.

6. Fold in chocolate and cherries

Add the chocolate chunks and flour-coated cherries.

Using a sturdy spatula, gently fold everything together.

If you’re adding nuts or orange zest, fold them in now.

The dough should be thick and chunky, with chocolate and cherry pieces distributed throughout.

7. Chill the dough

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 45–60 minutes.

Chilling is especially useful for this recipe because the cherries add moisture.

It also allows the butter to firm up, helping the cookies maintain a thick shape during baking.

For even deeper flavour, you can refrigerate the dough overnight.

If the chilled dough becomes very firm, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before scooping.

8. Preheat the oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Avoid placing the dough directly on a greased baking sheet because the extra grease can encourage the cookies to spread.

9. Portion the cookies

For large bakery-style cookies, scoop approximately 3 tablespoons (about 60–70 g) of dough per cookie.

Place 6 cookies on each baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between them.

For the appearance shown in your image, make the dough balls relatively tall rather than flattening them.

Before baking, press a few extra chocolate chunks and small cherry pieces onto the tops.

This makes the finished cookies look much more generous and colourful.

10. Bake

Bake for approximately 12–15 minutes.

The edges should look golden brown and set, while the centres should still look slightly soft.

Don’t wait for the entire cookie to become completely firm in the oven.

The cookies continue cooking from residual heat after they’re removed.

For particularly soft cookies, begin checking around 12 minutes.

For slightly crispier cookies, allow them to bake closer to 15 minutes.

11. Add flaky sea salt

Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, sprinkle each one with a small amount of flaky sea salt.

Don’t use too much. The purpose is to create little salty contrasts rather than make the entire cookie salty.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 8–10 minutes.

Then carefully transfer them to a wire rack.

They will become firmer as they cool while remaining soft in the centre.

Recipe Notes

Fresh vs. frozen cherries

Fresh cherries provide the best texture and appearance. Frozen cherries are perfectly acceptable, particularly when cherries are out of season.

The key is controlling moisture. Thaw frozen cherries completely, drain them thoroughly, and pat them dry before incorporating them into the dough.

Don’t skip chilling

Because this recipe contains butter and juicy fruit, unchilled dough can spread too much.

Chilling also produces a thicker, chewier cookie with better-developed flavour.

Chocolate choice

Dark chocolate is my first choice because its bitterness complements the sweet cherries beautifully.

A chocolate around 60–70% cacao provides a particularly good balance.

Semisweet chocolate produces a sweeter result, while milk chocolate makes the cookies considerably sweeter and creamier.

Chocolate chunks vs. chips

Large chunks give you the melted chocolate pockets visible in the photograph.

You can chop a chocolate bar into irregular pieces for an attractive homemade appearance.

Don’t overbake

The biggest mistake with thick cookies is waiting until the centre looks completely done.

When the edges are golden and the middle still looks slightly underbaked, take them out.

That is how you achieve a soft, chewy center.

Storage

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.

For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to about 5 days, although refrigeration can make them firmer.

You can also freeze baked cookies for approximately 2–3 months.

For the best texture after freezing, let them thaw at room temperature and warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for several minutes.

Freezing cookie dough

The dough freezes extremely well.

Scoop the dough into individual portions and place them on a parchment-lined tray. Freeze until firm, then transfer the dough portions to a freezer-safe container or bag.

Bake directly from frozen, adding approximately 2–4 minutes to the baking time.

Troubleshooting

Why did my cookies spread too much?

Possible causes include:

• Butter was too warm.
• Dough wasn’t chilled.
• Cherries contained too much moisture.
• Flour was under-measured.
• Baking sheet was warm when the dough was placed on it.

Chill the dough longer and make sure your cherries are well drained.

Why are my cookies dry?

They may have been overbaked or contained too much flour.

Measure flour using a kitchen scale whenever possible. If using measuring cups, spoon flour into the cup and level it rather than packing it down.

Why are the cookies too cakey?

Too much flour or too much baking powder can produce a cakey texture. Also avoid overmixing after adding the flour.

Why did the cherries disappear into the dough?

Very small or overly wet cherry pieces can become difficult to see.

Use larger pieces and reserve a few for pressing onto the tops immediately before baking.

Nutritional Information

The following is an approximate estimate per large cookie, assuming the recipe produces 12 cookies and using dark chocolate and fresh cherries:

Benefits of the Ingredients

These are still an indulgent dessert, so their nutritional benefits don’t make them a health food, but several ingredients contribute useful nutrients.

Cherries

Cherries provide vitamin C, potassium, fibre, and naturally occurring plant compounds. Their bright acidity is also useful in baking because it balances the richness of butter and chocolate.

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate contains cocoa solids and naturally occurring antioxidant compounds. Choosing a higher-cacao chocolate generally gives you more cocoa and less sugar than milk chocolate.

Eggs

Eggs provide high-quality protein as well as nutrients such as choline, selenium, vitamin B12, and riboflavin.

Nuts

If you add walnuts or pecans, you’ll increase the cookie’s protein, fibre, and unsaturated fat content while adding a wonderful crunchy texture.

Sea salt

Sea salt isn’t included for nutritional benefit; it’s primarily a flavour enhancer. A small amount can make the sweetness and chocolate taste more pronounced.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are excellent served slightly warm when the chocolate is still soft.

For a dessert plate, serve one cookie with:

• Vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream
• Fresh cherries
• Chocolate sauce
• A dusting of powdered sugar

For an especially impressive presentation, warm a cookie for about 10–15 seconds in the microwave, then serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a few fresh cherries.

You can also make smaller cookies for parties. Use approximately 1½ tablespoons of dough per cookie and reduce the baking time to around 9–11 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use dried cherries?

Yes. Dried cherries are an excellent substitute and make the cookies easier to prepare because they contain much less moisture.

Use approximately 1 cup (140 g) dried cherries. The finished cookies will be chewier and sweeter than those made with fresh cherries.

Q: Can I use white chocolate?

Absolutely. White chocolate and cherries are a fantastic combination. For a sweeter cookie, replace the dark chocolate with white chocolate chunks.

Q: Can I use milk chocolate?

Yes. Milk chocolate works well but will produce a sweeter cookie. Dark chocolate provides more contrast against the cherries.

Q: Can I make these without nuts?

Definitely. Nuts are completely optional.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. Refrigerated dough can generally be prepared a day ahead. Keep it tightly covered and bake when ready.

Q: Can I make smaller cookies?

Yes. Reduce the dough portion to about 1½ tablespoons per cookie and start checking them around 9 minutes.

Q: Can I use gluten-free flour?

A good-quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose baking flour can usually be substituted for the regular flour. Results vary between brands, so choose one formulated for cookies and cakes.

Q: How do I get cookies that look like the photograph?

Use large dough portions, plenty of irregular chocolate chunks, relatively large cherry pieces, and a few reserved toppings. Shape the dough balls tall rather than flat, chill thoroughly, and finish with flaky sea salt immediately after baking.

Q: Why add salt after baking?

Flaky sea salt added at the end provides little bursts of saltiness and remains more noticeable than salt incorporated entirely into the dough.

Q: Can I use maraschino cherries?

You can, but they are much sweeter and wetter than fresh cherries. Drain and pat them extremely dry first. Fresh or frozen tart cherries will give a more natural cherry flavour.

Final Tips for the Best Cherry Chocolate Cookies

1. Dry the cherries well. This is probably the most important fruit-related step.

2. Use good chocolate. Since the chocolate is a major component of the cookie, its flavour will be noticeable.

3. Chill the dough. It gives you thicker cookies and prevents excessive spreading.

4. Don’t overmix. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.

5. Don’t overbake. Slightly soft centres become perfectly chewy as the cookies cool.

6. Reserve toppings. A few visible cherries and chocolate chunks on top create the beautiful bakery-style appearance seen in your image.

7. Finish with flaky salt. Just a little creates a much more balanced flavour.

8. Serve warm. A few seconds of gentle reheating brings back the soft chocolate and tender centre.

Recipe at a glance

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies are thick, buttery, chewy cookies loaded with fresh cherries, dark chocolate chunks, and flaky sea salt. Chill the dough, bake at 350°F/175°C for 12–15 minutes, and remove the cookies while the centres still look slightly soft. Allow them to cool for several minutes before serving.