Name: Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill}
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 – 12 ounce jar maraschino cherries, diced small and patted dry (340g); ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113g); ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g); ¼ cup brown sugar (50g); 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon pure almond extract; 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice; 1 teaspoon vinegar; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (220g)

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Cherry Almond Cookies take me straight back to a cupboard that smelled like butter and vanilla, a bowl streaked with leftover cherry juice, and a child’s sticky thumb sneaking a taste. I remember the first bite soft, chewy, dotted with bright bits of cherry and almond and how it felt like a secret shared between my grandmother’s church cookbook and an ordinary weekday afternoon.

I learned to cook the honest way: standing on a stool beside my mama, turning the pages of recipes copied on yellowing paper. I’m a home cook from Louisville, Kentucky, and I make food that feels like a warm hug. I test recipes in real weeknight kitchens, where the timer buzzes, the dog nudges for crumbs, and everyone wants dinner on the table fast. My voice is friendly and plainspoken; I keep things simple and family-friendly, and I avoid pork in my cooking out of respect for the varied tables around my own.

My philosophy is comfort made simple big flavor with small fuss, dishes you can trust to feed hungry people and make memories. Over the years I’ve turned old church-cookbook lessons into dependable weeknight staples and nostalgic desserts that don’t require a pastry degree. You’ll find easy swaps, gentle tricks for success, and a focus on ingredients that perform in a busy kitchen.

If you love a soft drop cookie with a tender crumb, try pairing this with almond-forward treats like the almond crescent classics I wrote about for a holiday table Almond crescent cookies. When you make Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill}, you get a little bit of that church-kitchen comfort in every bite simple steps, honest ingredients, and warm memories.

Table of Contents

How to prepare Cherry Almond Cookies

Ingredients :

1 – 12 ounce jar maraschino cherries*, diced small and patted dry (340g), ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (113g), ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g), ¼ cup brown sugar (50g), 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure almond extract, 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice, 1 teaspoon vinegar**, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (220g)

Directions :

Remove the maraschino cherries* from their juice (remove the stems if they have them) and place on a layer or two of paper towels. Then slice each cherry in half and then each half into 6 pieces (giving you 12 small pieces per cherry). Move the sliced cherries onto another paper towel. Once all the cherries are in small pieces, blot them dry with another paper towel and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside., In a medium to large bowl, melt the butter (½ cup/113g). Add both sugars (¾ cup/150g granulated and ¼ cup/50g brown) and whisk until fully incorporated., Add the egg (1 large), almond extract (1 teaspoon), cherry juice (2 teaspoons) and vinegar*(1 teaspoon).

Whisk until the mixture is combined and smooth., Sprinkle the baking soda (½ teaspoon) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) over the mixture and stir well. Then add the flour (1 ¾ cups/220g) and stir until just a little bit of flour remain. Fold in the chopped and dried maraschino cherries., Use about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (I like using a size 30 scoop) and place the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

You should get about 18 cookies., Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set. Allow the cookies to rest on the pan 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. If the cookies haven’t flattened as much as you’d like, bang the pan on the counter once or twice and use a large round cutter to “scoot” the cookies into a perfectly round shape, if desired.

Serving ideas

When you plate Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill}, you’re serving more than a cookie you’re serving something that pairs beautifully with simple drinks and light desserts. These cookies shine with a cup of strong coffee or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and because the flavors sit between fruity and nutty, they also work well with lightly sweet accompaniments like lemon curd or a smear of mascarpone.

If you offer them at a casual get-together, arrange the cookies on a wooden board with a small pile of toasted almonds and a bowl of extra maraschino cherries for color. For a family dessert, stack three cookies and tuck a thin slice of brie or a dab of ricotta between them for a grown-up twist. You can also make a charming cookie plate for holiday brunch Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill} bring that nostalgic look that makes a spread feel homey without fuss.

When serving to children, keep a small jar of warm milk nearby; the cherries in the cookies make them extra fun. For a more refined presentation, dust with a tiny pinch of powdered sugar right before serving to give the cookies a soft glow. These cookies travel well, so slide them into a tin lined with parchment for a neighbor gift all the charm, none of the stress. If you like variations that lean more into almond texture, try my take on Italian almond cookies for another almond-forward treat you can pair on a cookie plate Best easy Italian almond cookies.

How to store it properly

To keep Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill} tasting fresh, store them with care these cookies hold moisture from the maraschino cherries, so airtight storage prevents drying and keeps the texture chewy. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before you tuck them away; warm cookies create condensation that softens them too much.

Use a shallow airtight container and separate layers with parchment paper to avoid sticking. If your kitchen runs warm, store the container in a cool pantry or the refrigerator; chilled cookies firm up and hold their shape, but bring them back to room temperature before serving so the butter and almond flavors bloom. For longer storage, freeze the cooled cookies in a single layer on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.

When you want a fresh-baked taste, defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes. If you’d like to repurpose leftovers in the morning, crumble a cookie over yogurt or warm ricotta for a quick dessert-style parfait; the cherry-and-almond combo plays nicely with creamy bases. If you enjoy cherry desserts more broadly, my cherry-almond ricotta clafoutis is a lovely sibling recipe to explore for using cherries in different textures Cherry almond ricotta clafoutis.

Simple tips for success

There are a few little moves that make Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill} behave beautifully in a busy kitchen. First, blot those maraschino cherries really dry any excess liquid will change the cookie’s texture. Chop the cherries small so they distribute evenly in each bite; that keeps pockets of sweetness without soggy centers. Measure your flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling or, better yet, weigh the flour if you have a scale the dough should be slightly tacky but scoopable.

Use melted butter like the recipe says for a tender crumb, and don’t overmix once you add the flour; a few streaks of flour are fine. If your dough seems too soft and the cookies spread too much, chill the scooped dough on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking this is a gentle compromise that still honors the “No Chill” concept for the main dough.

For even baking, rotate pans halfway through the bake time, and remove the cookies when the edges set but the centers look soft; they’ll firm as they cool. If you want to vary the chewiness, swap half the granulated sugar for a bit more brown sugar to deepen the flavor and chew. When you crave a drier crunch, add a handful of slivered almonds to the batter or on top before baking for contrast. These small tips help every batch of Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill} come out consistent and worry-free.

Flavor variations

Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill} adapt well to a few simple twists when you want to mix up the flavor without changing the method. For a more tropical turn, fold in about ¼ cup shredded coconut and swap the almond extract for coconut extract, or add a tablespoon of orange zest to brighten the batter. If you want a richer almond profile, use almond flour for ¼ cup of the all-purpose flour this deepens the nuttiness without making the dough dense. For a chocolate-cherry mashup, stir in ¼ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips; they melt around the cherries for little pockets of chocolate.

To make a subtle spice version, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg; the warm spices pair well with the cherry’s sweet-tart notes. If you like a buttery shortbread feel, reduce the baking soda and add 1 tablespoon cornstarch to soften the texture. For a gluten-free option, replace the flour with a one-to-one gluten-free baking blend, watching the dough’s hydration and perhaps adding a tablespoon of milk if it seems dry. If you’d like a chewier, coconut-forward bite, try the crispy almond-coconut twist I worked on for a similar cookie style and borrow its toasted coconut idea here Crispy almond coconut cookies.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Can I use frozen cherries instead of maraschino cherries?
A: While fresh or frozen cherries add a lovely natural tartness, they contain more water than maraschino cherries and will change the cookie’s texture unless you dry them thoroughly. If you use frozen cherries, thaw them completely, pat them very dry, and toss them in a little flour before folding into the dough to keep them from bleeding and making the batter too wet. Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill} rely on small, concentrated cherry pieces; maraschino cherries are convenient because they hold their bright color and flavor and are easy to chop and dry.

Q: Why is the recipe called “No Chill”?
A: The “No Chill” label means the dough doesn’t require an overnight rest in the refrigerator before baking. This recipe was designed to come together quickly for weeknight baking. You still get great flavor and texture without waiting. If you choose to chill the dough for firmer, thicker cookies, you can, but the recipe yields excellent cookies straight from mixing to baking.

Q: My cookies spread too thin. What did I do wrong?
A: Thin cookies often result from too-warm dough, too-melted butter, or a loose scoop. Make sure you use the measured amount of flour; spoon-and-level the flour rather than packing it into the cup. If your kitchen is very warm, pop the scooped dough on the prepared baking sheet into the fridge for about 10 minutes before baking; that helps without requiring a full chill. Also check your baking soda; old leaveners can give unpredictable spread. For thicker cookies, use a slightly heaped 2-tablespoon scoop and bake on a cooler oven shelf.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead and freeze it?
A: Yes. Scoop the dough onto a sheet pan, freeze until firm, then transfer scoops to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time. This keeps Cherry Almond Cookies {No Chill} convenient when you want fresh-baked flavor without the prep.

Conclusion

If you want another take on cherry-and-almond cookies for comparison or inspiration, check out Cherry Almond Cookies ~ two sugar bugs for a similar quick-bake approach and Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookies – Sally’s Baking for a buttery shortbread twist. Both pages give ideas that pair nicely with the simple method here and can spark different serving ideas or flavor swaps to make Cherry Almond Cookies suit your kitchen and your family’s memories.

Ingredients

Instructions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply