I am always looking for new variations on drop cookies to try out when it comes to baking up batches of holiday cookies. As fun as it is to make gingerbread men and soft cutout cookies, it is a bit time consuming to chill the dough, roll and cut the dough, then decorate the finished cookies. A batch of drop cookies that can be mixed up in just a few minutes is ideal for filling those waiting hours and adding something else to a cookie plate.
These cookies are very simple, but very good. The basic dough is a sugar cookie dough. It’s not too sweet, but it has a lovely vanilla flavor and a very chewy texture. White chocolate chips and dried cherries are stirred into the dough before baking. The white chocolate adds some additional sweetness to the cookies and is really complemented by the vanilla already in the dough. The dried cherries added a hint of tartness that balanced out the sweetness of the white chocolate, and their inherent chewiness works perfectly with the chewy cookie base. If your dried cherries are large, chop them up slightly with a sharp knife or kitchen shears so the are about the same size as the chocolate chips.
To keep the cookies chewy, take them out of the oven when they are just beginning to turn a pale golden color. They might not look quite set in the center (although the bottoms of the cookies should also be a light brown). Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet to give them a chance to set up. They’ll be a bit crisp around the edges on the first day, but after they’ve been stored overnight in an airtight container, they’ll be chewy throughout. The cookies will keep well for a couple of days, too, so you can make a batch ahead of time if you’re planning on doing a lot of entertaining and want to have something on hand.
White Chocolate Cherry Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 white chocolate chips
2/3 cup dried cherries (coarsely chopped, if cherries are very large)
Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.Mix in the flour mixture, followed by the white chocolate chips and dried cherries.
Drop tablespoonfuls of dough (1-inch balls) onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cookies are just beginning to turn a light golden color around the edges. Cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet until cookies are completely set, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 2 dozen.
Note: Feel free to double this recipe if you need more cookies to serve to a big (or hungry) crowd.
Carrie
December 13, 2008Hi Baking Bites,
I’ve link your blog to mine, hope you dn’t mind!
Cheeze
Megan
December 13, 2008Oh my, these sound delicious! I love baking with white chocolate this time of year. Actually, I think I may have to add in some dark chocolate chips to these cookies 🙂 Can’t wait to try them!
CookiePie
December 13, 2008Those sound so delicious!! Love cherry and white chocolate together!
Krissy
December 17, 2008I confess to have been lurking around your website for a few weeks now. Everything looks so delicious! I’m going home this weekend, and am looking forward to trying some of your recipes out.
I’m curious though, would this recipe turn out all right if I replaced the flour with rice flour? What you recommend I change to make the recipe gluten-free?
rachel
December 23, 2008Sooo goood…. made them last night. Thanks!
AshB
May 29, 2009I just made these and they are currently cooling. they smell and look PERFECT. i cant believe i just made these from scratch. they look like they are from a bakery. THANKS!!!
Katherine
October 22, 2009Made these twice now, once with the white chocolate and cherries and once using the base and some milk chocolate. They are wonderful, and going into my recipe folder. Thanks!
Jill
December 9, 2009I made these last year and this year, and they have become a new favorite Christmas-time cookie. I add 2/3 cup chopped, toasted pistachios and sprinkle a little sea salt on top, and they are divine!
Jenny
December 13, 2009I’m making these as soon as finals are over! Yum yum. I bought white chocolate chips and dried cherries today so I’m set!
York Escorts
May 11, 2010I love cookies very much. It’s my one of the favorite food. I can not believe I just made these from scratch. they look like they are a bakery.thanks for sharing….
Debts
January 25, 2011Thanks for the White Chocolate Cherry Cookies. I always like to eat cookies. Cookies are my favourite. I try making these White Chocolate Cherry Cookies. It is early easy. The taste is very yummy.
Alissa
December 11, 2011I can not wait to try these! I have been on a Cherry kick for about a month now and just can’t get enough.
DCW
December 19, 2011Do these freeze well at all? Just made a batch but don’t want to hand them over to hubby until Christmas morning.