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    Home » Dessert

    Chewy Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies

    Originally Published: Aug 23, 2019 · Last Updated: Feb 11, 2020 by Ann · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    3.8K shares
    • 219
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies piled on a plate

    These cherry almond sugar cookies are crispy around the edges and soft and chewy inside. They are a perfect easy sweet treat for the holidays or for Valentine's Day (not to mention all the other days).

    Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies piled on a plate

    *This is an updated version of a post I originally published in the early days of the blog.

    *This post probably contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure policy for details.

    I've made this sugar cookie recipe from Cooks Illustrated for years, but I thought it would be fun to kick them up a notch this time.

    I added some chopped maraschino cherries and some syrup from the jar, and subbed the vanilla extract for almond extract, because cherries and almond together make this girl very happy. The cherry juice gives them a pretty soft pink hue.

    I love a classic, simple sugar cookie, and this recipe is the best I've found. Crispy around the edges, and soft and chewy inside, with great buttery flavor.

    By the way, do you use a silicone baking mat when baking cookies? I was hesitant about them for the longest time (I mean parchment paper is cheap and disposable).

    But I finally got some a couple of years ago, mainly to see what all the fuss was about, and I haven't looked back. They're a breeze to clean, environmentally friendly, and my cookies always bake evenly.

    They work great with my favorite Chicago Metallic jelly roll pans that never bend or warp.

    Overhead view of cherry almond sugar cookies on a baking sheet

    How to Make Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies

    Before I experimented with these cherry almond sugar cookies, I had this idea that I would fancify them even more by putting a chocolate glaze on top. Sounds good, right?

    Well... I never believed I would ever speak or write the words I am about to say, but...

    It turns out that sometimes chocolate is...unnecessary. Even...too much.

    Chocolate and cherries are great together of course, but the chocolate just kind of killed the delicate almond flavor. Sometimes you just have to let those subtler flavors shine.

    Huh. Just trust me on this one, ok?

    I also decided to forgo the rolling in additional sugar before baking, simply because I felt the cherries and juice made them plenty sweet already.

    Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies stacked on a plate

    Step-by-step instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

    2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cream cheese, and melted butter until smooth.

    3. Add the oil and stir to combine.

    4. Add an egg and stir again to combine.

    Process shots for making cookie dough

    5. Add chopped cherries and cherry syrup.

    6. Stir in the flour mixture to form a soft dough.

    Chopped maraschino cherries being combined with cookie dough

    7. Roll the dough into balls of about 2 tablespoons each, and drop about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment.

    8. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until edges have started to brown and the cookies look set. Bake a little longer if you like your cookies crispier.

    9. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

    unbaked cherry almond sugar cookies on a baking sheet

    Enjoy!! xx

    Love cherries as much as I do? Try this cherry chocolate bundt cake or these cherry muffins with coconut streusel.

    Sound good to you? If you make this recipe, I would love it if you would take a pic and tag me on Instagram @ourhappymess!

    Or pin for later!

    Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies piled on a plate

    And if you're looking for more easy dessert inspiration, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Or be old-fashioned and subscribe in the sidebar on the right to get every new recipe in your inbox 🙂

    A stack of cherry almond sugar cookies on a baking mat

    Cherry Almond Sugar Cookies

    These cherry almond sugar cookies are crispy around the edges and soft and chewy inside. 
    4.70 from 26 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 24 cookies
    Calories: 154kcal
    Author: Ann Otis

    Ingredients

    • 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
    • 2 ounces cream cheese cut into chunks
    • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
    • ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil
    • 1 egg
    • ½ cup maraschino cherries finely chopped, and squeezed to remove excess juice
    • 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
    • In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cream cheese, and melted butter until smooth.
    • Add the oil and mix until combined. Add the egg and combine again.
    • Add cherry juice and almond extract and mix well. Fold in the chopped cherries. 
    • Add the dry ingredients to the cherry mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until well combined and a soft dough forms. 
    • Roll the dough into balls of about 2 tablespoons each and drop, about 2 inches apart, on a baking sheet line with a baking mat or parchment. (The dough will be very soft).
    • Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges have started to brown and look set. 
    • Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes and move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

    Notes

    Adapted from Cook's Illustrated 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 35mg | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.6mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag it Today!Mention @OurHappyMess or tag #OurHappyMess!
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    3.8K shares
    • 219

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jenny kelleher

      December 09, 2019 at 8:16 pm

      5 stars
      You inspire me! I'm hosting my first cookie swap this year and this is THE recipe!!! Wish me luck,
      signed your sole sister of a happy mess home in Massachusetts. Happy Holidays!!! 🙂

      Reply
      • Ann

        December 10, 2019 at 8:59 am

        Jenny, you rock!! Cookie swaps are so much fun. Happy holidays to you too!! 🤗

        Reply
    2. Lola

      May 20, 2019 at 3:42 pm

      Can you use dried cherries?

      Reply
      • Ann

        May 20, 2019 at 10:13 pm

        I haven’t personally tried it, but I see no reason it wouldn’t work! Let me know how it goes 🙂

        Reply
    3. Samantha-Jeanne

      November 26, 2018 at 10:59 pm

      5 stars
      Made these today to kick off my holiday baking and they were delicious!

      Reply
      • Ann

        November 27, 2018 at 7:28 am

        Thank you so much Samantha-Jeanne!! I’m so glad to hear that. Wishing you a beautiful holiday season 🙂

        Reply
    4. Stephanie

      February 08, 2018 at 8:08 am

      I have a feeling my family is going to love these cookies. I'll use the extra maraschino cherries in my cocktail!

      Reply
      • Ann

        February 08, 2018 at 9:18 am

        Haha, I love that Stephanie! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman

      February 06, 2018 at 3:54 pm

      These look so pretty. Cherry and almond is such a great combo, too!

      Reply
      • Ann

        February 06, 2018 at 3:57 pm

        I agree! Thank you Renee 🙂

        Reply
    6. Sandi

      February 06, 2018 at 3:43 pm

      5 stars
      I love the idea of cherries and almonds in cookies!!

      Reply
      • Ann

        February 06, 2018 at 3:55 pm

        Thank you Sandi! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Valentina

      February 06, 2018 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      How lovely for Valentine's Day -- or any day! I love cherries and putting them inside a sugar cookie sounds so tasty!

      Reply
      • Ann

        February 06, 2018 at 3:54 pm

        Thanks Valentina! It worked even better than I'd hoped!

        Reply
    8. Natalie

      February 06, 2018 at 3:09 pm

      5 stars
      I never tried baking cookies with cherries before, but these look so delicious and also perfect for Valentine's day!

      Reply
      • Ann

        February 06, 2018 at 3:17 pm

        The little cherry bits are really delicious! Thanks Natalie!

        Reply
    9. Adriana

      February 06, 2018 at 2:55 pm

      Almond cookies are one of my favorites and the addition of the cherries is just perfect to add more sweetness. This is a really nice recipe for valentines day.

      Reply
      • Ann

        February 06, 2018 at 3:17 pm

        Thanks Adriana! 🙂

        Reply
      • Karen Smith

        December 19, 2020 at 10:22 pm

        If we dont have almond extract, think we can add thin sliced almonds instead??

        Reply
        • Ann

          December 19, 2020 at 11:05 pm

          If you want to used sliced almonds, I would try adding some to the tops of the cookies before baking :). I think if you mix them into the dough, they are so delicate that they would just break down and affect the texture, and wouldn’t really flavor the dough the same way an extract would. I’d love to know if you try it!

          Reply

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    Ann from Our Happy Mess

    I'm Ann and I believe in balanced eating, homemade foods, and DESSERT. I love to cook, but I can't spend all day in the kitchen anymore, so what you'll mostly find here are simple, family-friendly recipes. I'm really happy you're here!
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