Easy Cherry and Almond Cookies Recipe
These Easy Cherry Cookies begin with a cake mix and use the classic combination of cherry and almond to create cookies that taste as delicious as they look. They’re perfect for any time of year, and are so easy to make!
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I love making these cherry cookies, and it’s so easy to do because we’re starting with a white cake mix as the base! This is going to make sure that the cookies stay soft and fluffy, while adding cream cheese and butter is going to make the cookie dough rich and creamy {just like these Cream Cheese Cookies}.
The real stars of this cherry cookies recipe are the maraschino cherries. They add the perfect amount of sweetness and a beautiful pop of color. We’re going to reserve a bit of the cherry juice to mix into the dough for an extra cherry kick that takes these cookies to the next level and gives them a beautiful pink color that makes them absolutely perfect for baby showers and Valentine’s Day.
The almond extract in the cookies adds a subtle nutty flavor that enhances the cherries so well. Trust me, the combination of cherry and almond is a classic for a reason – it just works!
Not only do these cherry cookies taste amazing, but they also look so pretty. After they come out of the oven, sprinkle them with powdered sugar to create a beautiful contrast with the pink cherries peeking through the dough.
I’ve made these cherry cookies for everything from family gatherings to holiday parties, and they’re always a family favorite. I love how unique the flavor combination is – it’s not your average cookie, and that’s what makes them so special!
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What goes into this Recipe
- White Cake Mix: Using a boxed white cake mix as the main ingredient in these cherry cookies makes the recipe so easy and ensures that the cookies turn out soft and fluffy every time. No need to measure out all the dry ingredients – the cake mix takes care of that for you!
- Maraschino Cherries: These sweet, juicy cherries are the star of the show in this recipe. They add a burst of fruity flavor and a beautiful pink color to the cookies. Be sure to reserve some of the cherry juice to mix into the dough for an extra cherry punch.
- Cream Cheese: Adding softened cream cheese to the cookie dough makes these cherry cookies extra rich and creamy. It’s the secret ingredient to take the chewy cookie recipe from good to great!
- Almond Extract: A little bit of almond extract goes a long way in this recipe. It adds a subtle nutty flavor that compliments the cherries perfectly. If you’re a fan of cherry and almond together, you’re going to love these cookies! It also works great in these chilled sugar cookies.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Add-In Ideas
Almonds: Add a 1/4 cup of slivered or sliced almonds to the dough with the cherries. They will add a great texture and enhance the almond flavor.
Baking Chips: Add 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips to the dough and create chocolate chip cherry cookies. You could also add cherries to traditional chocolate chip cookies for a fun twist.
Food Coloring: Add a drop of pink food coloring to get a darker shade of pink cookies.
How to make Cherry and Almond Cookies
- Start by placing the maraschino cherries on a plate lined with paper towels to dry. Once they’re dry, chop them into small pieces and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and softened cream cheese using an electric hand mixer {or by hand} on medium speed until you have a creamy consistency. Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved cherry juice, and mix until everything is well incorporated. Pour in the white cake mix and mix until the dough is thick and well combined. Fold the chopped cherries into the dough, making sure they’re evenly distributed throughout.
- Using a medium cookie scooper or a spoon, scoop dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Bake the cherry cookies in a preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are set. The centers may look a little undercooked, but that’s okay – they’ll continue to set up as they cool and will keep their chewy texture.
- Remove the baked cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet that is on a cooling rack. Once cooled, sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar for a pretty finishing touch and you now have the perfect cookie!
Expert Tips
- Be sure to drain the cherries. I like to use a paper towel to remove any excess juice.
- Reserve some cherry juice for an extra cherry flavor boost. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved cherry juice to the dough really amps up the cherry flavor in these cookies. If you want a more subtle cherry taste, stick with 1 tablespoon, or add 2 for a more intense cherry kick.
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies. Using a medium cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure ensures that all your cookies are the same size, which helps them bake evenly and look more professional.
- Don’t over bake the cookies. These cherry cookies are best when they’re soft and chewy, so be careful not to over bake them. They may look slightly undercooked when you take them out of the oven, but they’ll continue to set up as they cool on the baking sheet. Here are all of my cake mix cookie baking tips.
Storage and Freezing
Store: Keep these maraschino cherry cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. If you live in a particularly humid environment, you may want to store them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh longer.
Freeze: These cherry almond cookies freeze beautifully! Place the cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the cookies thaw at room temperature for a few hours or pop them in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use a different flavor of cake mix if you prefer. Vanilla or yellow cake mix would work well in this recipe, or you could even try a chocolate cake mix for a chocolate-cherry twist.
While you could use fresh or dried cherries, they won’t give you the same texture and flavor as maraschino cherries. Maraschino cherries are sweeter and softer, which works well in these cherry cookies.
Yes, you can make the cookie dough up to 2 days in advance. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. You may need to let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften up before scooping and baking.
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Easy Cherry and Almond Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces maraschino cherries {reserve 1-2 Tablespoons juice}
- 8 ounces cream cheese {softened}
- ½ cup butter {softened}
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 box white cake mix {13.25 ounces}
Topping
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
Cookies
- Place cherries on a plate lined with paper towels and let dry. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
- Combine the cream cheese and butter with a hand held mixer {or by hand} until you have a cream consistency. Add egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and 1 tablespoon cherry juice {2 tablespoons for extra cherry flavor}. Mix until incorporated. Finally, add the cake mix and mix until it is well combined and thick. Fold chopped cherries into the dough until they are evenly distributed.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough {using a medium scoop or 1 1/2 tablespoons} onto a parchment {or silicone} lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are set, they will appear to be a little undercooked but that is alright. Remove your cream cheese cake mix cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the cookie sheet.
Topping
- Once cooled, sprinkle tops with powdered sugar. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
