Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies

These Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies are a sweet twist on one of my all-time favorite cookies :: the SWIG Sugar Cookie. The Swig really is THE PERFECT cookie IMO. It’s moist yet firm, sweet but not too sweet, and the addition of cream of tartar adds that little zip I love so much.

Sugar Cookie Perfection

These sugar cookies are my most favorite cookie recipe base! I’ve tweaked them into orange vanilla, winter spice, M&M and now Cherry Chip. The key to this wonderful recipe is the combination of sugars, fats and leaveners.

If you notice, this recipe contains BOTH powdered + granulated sugar, oil + butter and baking soda + baking powder (and cream of tartar). The balance in these combinations yields such a wonderful flavor and texture.

Cherry Chip Tips

To make these Cherry Chip cookies, you’ll need the usual pantry baking staples AND:

• maraschino cherries (chopped cherries + cherry juice)
• grated Belgian chocolate

Making a Cookie Heart

To make these cookies into a heart shape, simply follow the steps shown in the above video:

• form a dough ball
• roll in sugar
• use a chopstick to indent the topside of the dough ball
• press the dough with a glass
• use your fingers or the edge of the chopstick to flatten the sides and form a point on the bottom
• drizzle with ganache or melted chocolate

Making a heart-kissed cookie

This dough is so versatile! Heart-shaped + heart kissed cookies are so easy to create! Whether using Hershey kisses or See’s chocolate hearts (or your favorite Valentine’s Day chocolate) simply scoop a dough ball, roll in sugar, press a chocolate in the center and bake!

YUM!! Cherry and chocolatey all packed into the perfect chewy, moist sugar cookie!

Cherry Chip Sugar Cookies

Wet Ingredients

• 1 c butter (room temperature)
• 3/4 c vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 c sugar (additional 1/2 c sugar for pressing)
• 3/4 c powdered sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 T maraschino cherry liquid
• 1/2 c maraschino cherries (approximately 15) finely chopped
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 t almond extract

Dry Ingredients

• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t cream of tartar
• 5 1/2 c flour
• 1/2 c granulated sugar for pressing cookies
• 1 c grated Belgian chocolate (can sub mini chocolate chips)
• 4 dozen chocolate hearts or kisses as topping (optional)

Chocolate Ganache (optional)**

• 1 c grated or chopped Belgian chocolate
• 1/2 c heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a mixer, cream together both sugars and both fats (approximately 2 minutes).

Once the mixture is creamed, add eggs, cherry juice + cherries and vanilla + almond extracts.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients & gently mix. Add flour mixture (in thirds) to the wet ingredients until fully incorporated. Add grated chocolate and mix to combine.

Using a 2 T scoop, place dough on lined baking sheets, approximately 2″ apart.

Place the remaining 1/2 c granulated sugar in a small dish. Roll each dough ball into the sugar and return to the lined baking sheet.

*Pressed sugar cookie :: dip the base of a small glass into the sugar and then press the glass into each cookie.

*Chocolate heart or kiss topped cookie, after rolling in sugar press a chocolate heart/kiss firmly into the center of each dough ball.

Bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tray for 1-2 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.

**to make ganache – place chocolate and cream in a microwavable glass bowl. Microwave on high in 15 sec increments, stirring between sessions until melted and combined. THis should take no longer than 45 seconds.