Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies are classic shortbread cookies dotted with bright red pieces of maraschino cherries, and they are one of the most colorful Christmas desserts you can pull from your oven. The ingredient list is short, the dough is easy to handle, and the finished cookies look like little jeweled coins lined up on a holiday platter.

And so, with just a few simple ingredients, these cherry studded shortbread cookies came together for a sweet little treat that my family could not stop snacking on.

this …

They feel special enough for a cookie swap and simple enough for a quiet afternoon with a cup of coffee. One batch makes 24 cookies, and the whole process, including the chilling time, takes about 1 hour 35 minutes.

If you are looking for a Christmas cookie that looks festive without frosting, sprinkles, or food coloring, this is the one. The red cherry pieces do all the decorating for you.

Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies

It was only Thanksgiving, and Christmas was already on my mind. That happens every single year. The moment the last plate is cleared, my brain switches straight to cookie tins, butter, and sugar, and the smell of shortbread cooling on the counter.

With Christmas only a few weeks away, that early planning is normal for anyone who bakes through December. Food bloggers feel the pull even harder, especially when blogging is a full time job or a serious hobby.

Suddenly the bookmarks fill up with cookie ideas, and the classics always rise to the top, like soft chocolate chip cookies that vanish first at every gathering.

And so the list grew. One recipe turned into three, then five. That is how this small Christmas cookie series started, and this cherry shortbread was the very first recipe I baked.

Best Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookie Recipe

After a short internet search, my bookmarks were overflowing with cookie ideas. Since my family is a cookie loving bunch, I decided to plan a small series of Christmas cookie recipes instead of baking just one. The opening recipe had to be the one my husband asks for all year long: classic shortbread cookies with chocolate chips.

Plain shortbread with chocolate chips is already a winner. But Christmas baking deserves a little color. And so I added maraschino cherries for their deep red shade and their sweet, slightly tangy taste. The cherries turn the dough into something that looks like confetti, and the chocolate chips add small dark flecks between the red pieces.

The dough comes together in minutes. You shape it into a circular log, wrap it up, and let the fridge do the quiet work. And here is where I have to be honest about my kitchen: an unbaked dough log is a hazard.

My husband has been known to slice off a piece before it ever reaches the oven, which is why I now wrap the log twice and tuck it behind the vegetables.

From start to finish, these cookies take about one and a half hours, and almost an hour of that is just chilling in the fridge. The combination of chocolate chips and red cherry pieces gives them that holiday look without any extra decoration.

And when they come out of the oven, warm and lightly golden on top, the photo shoot has to happen fast. Otherwise the cookies disappear one by one before I can get the camera in focus, and an empty baking sheet is the only proof that they were ever there.

Need More Christmas Cookie Recipes?! Check These Out:

If one Christmas cookie recipe is never enough in your house, here are two more to add to your holiday baking list.

Cranberry Pistachio Christmas Shortbread Cookies. These are another shortbread style option, and the red cranberries with green pistachios make them look instantly festive. They are exactly the kind of cookie Santa would be happy to find on the plate, and they sit beautifully next to the maraschino cherry version on a mixed cookie tray.

Fresh Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies. These are soft cream cheese cookies made with fresh cranberries and white chocolate chunks. They are loaded with white chocolate and tangy fresh cranberries, which gives them a bright, festive look and a lovely push and pull between sweet and tart in every bite.

Between the three recipes, your cookie swap lineup covers crunchy, soft, chocolate, and fruity all at once.

Ingredients

These cookies need seven simple ingredients, and most of them are probably in your pantry right now.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips

A note about the cherries: spread the chopped maraschino cherries on a paper towel and let them drain well. Extra liquid is the enemy of shortbread. If you like, candied maraschino cherries work just as nicely in this recipe.

Room temperature butter matters as well. If it is too cold, it will not cream smoothly with the powdered sugar. If it is melted, the dough turns greasy and the cookies spread in the oven. Soft enough to hold a gentle dent when you press it with a finger is exactly right.

You will also want parchment paper for the baking sheet and plastic wrap for chilling the dough log. Neither one is an ingredient, but both make the process much easier.

Instructions

The method is a classic slice and bake shortbread, and it moves step by step.

1. Mix the flour and salt together and set the bowl aside.
2. Cream 1 cup of softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla.
3. Add the flour and salt mixture and mix until the dough starts forming larger clumps.
4. Mix in the chocolate chips and the chopped maraschino cherries.
5. Form the dough into a log about 2 inches thick and press it well so it will not crumble when you slice it. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for at least 1 to 2 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 325 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Cut the chilled log into 1/4 or 1/3 inch thick slices. If a slice crumbles, press it back together with your hands, then place the slices on the baking sheet with about 1 inch of space between them.
8. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cookies just start to turn lightly golden brown on top.
9. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

The step that matters most is pressing the dough firmly when you shape the log. Shortbread dough is crumbly by nature, and a loose log will fall apart under the knife. Take an extra minute, press from all sides, and the slices will come out clean.

The chill time is not optional. A well chilled log slices neatly, and neat slices bake into even, pretty cookies.

Another small habit that helps: wipe your knife between cuts. Cherry pieces and chocolate chips can drag through the dough and tear the edges of the next slice. A quick wipe keeps every cookie looking tidy.

When you pull the baking sheet from the oven, the cookies will still feel soft in the middle. That is exactly what you want. They firm up as they cool, and the five minute rest on the baking sheet finishes the job gently.

Recipe details

Here is everything at a glance before you start baking.

The total time includes the chilling window, so plan for it. The hands on work stays short, which makes this an easy recipe to start in the morning and bake in the afternoon.

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They hold their tender crumb beautifully and taste just as good on the second day. For a cookie swap, layer them in a tin with a sheet of parchment between the rows so the cherries and chocolate chips stay in place.

These cookies also make a lovely gift. A small stack tied with twine and a handwritten tag feels personal, and it costs almost nothing to put together.

One last tip for a busy week: the dough log can be made one day ahead and kept in the fridge, so baking day is nothing more than slicing and a quick ten to fifteen minutes in the oven. Just be sure to hide it well if your household has a dough thief, the way mine does.

FAQs

Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies are classic shortbread cookies dotted with bright red pieces of maraschino cherries, and they are one of the most colorful Christmas desserts you can pull from your oven. The ingredient list is short, the dough is easy to handle, and the finished cookies look like little jeweled coins lined up on a holiday platter.

• Total Time: 95 min
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped (spread cherries on paper towel to drain well or you can use candied maraschino cherries)
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Instructions
1-Mix flour and salt, set aside: Mix flour and salt, set aside.
2-Cream 1 cup unsalted softened butter with: Cream 1 cup unsalted softened butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, mix in vanilla.
3-Add flour and salt mixture and mix: Add flour and salt mixture and mix until it starts forming larger clumps.
4-Mix in chocolate chips and maraschino cherries: Mix in chocolate chips and maraschino cherries.
5-Form the dough into the log and: Form the dough into the log and press it well or it will crumble when you slice the cookies (the log should be about 2 inch thick) Wrap it in the plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hour.
6-Preheat the oven to 325 F and: Preheat the oven to 325 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
7-Cut the log into 1/4 or 1/3: Cut the log into 1/4 or 1/3 inch thick slices (if the slices crumbles, press it back together with your hands) and place them onto baking sheet with one inch of space between.
8-Bake the cookies 10- 15 minutes (until: Bake the cookies 10- 15 minutes (until they just start to turn lightly golden brown on top)
9-Let them cool for 5 minutes on: Let them cool for 5 minutes on a baking sheet before transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

• Prep Time: 25 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Method: bake