Say hello to the best chocolate cherry cookies you will ever bake! These fudgy chocolate thumbprint style cookies are filled with a silky chocolate cherry ganache, and they are perfect for Valentine’s Day, a holiday cookie tray, or any serious chocolate craving.
This post is sponsored by Endangered Species Chocolate, and the chocolate cherry pairing at the heart of this recipe is exactly why these cookies taste so special.
Seriously chocolatey. Dutch process cocoa powder gives the dough a deep, dark chocolate flavor that regular cocoa just cannot match.
Chewy centers. The cookie base bakes up soft and chewy, the perfect contrast to the creamy filling.
Silky cherry ganache. Chocolate and cherry are a dream pairing, and they melt together into a smooth, fruity filling.
Easy from start to finish. The dough mixes up in minutes with just a few ingredients, the cookies bake in 9 to 11 minutes, and the ganache is simple to make.
What makes them truly special is the combination. The chewy dark chocolate base, made with Dutch process cocoa, meets a smooth ganache where chocolate and cherry pair perfectly. Every bite is rich, fruity, and completely irresistible.
Whether you are baking for someone you love, building the prettiest holiday cookie tray, or just answering a chocolate craving, these cookies deliver. Let me walk you through everything you need to know to bake the perfect batch.
The best part is how simple they are. You do not need fancy equipment, just a bowl, a mixer, and a little patience while the dough chills. The result is a tray of cookies that look like they came from a bakery and taste even better.
Every ingredient here has a job, and together they create a cookie that is fudgy, chewy, and deeply chocolatey. All purpose flour gives the cookies their best chew, while Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder brings a richer, darker chocolate flavor than regular cocoa.
Salt wakes up all the flavors, and a little baking powder helps the cookies rise slightly in the oven.
Unsalted butter must be softened so it creams smoothly, and brown sugar takes the lead here. The larger amount of brown sugar, paired with granulated white sugar, is the secret to the chewy texture. Room temperature large egg yolks bind the dough and keep it tender, and vanilla extract adds a lovely sweet note.
For the ganache, chopped Endangered Species Chocolate Vibrant Cherries plus Dark Chocolate bars melt into a luscious base. Heavy cream makes it silky, and cherry preserves swirl in the fruity cherry flavor that makes this filling so special.
All the exact amounts are in the list below, and the pro tips further down show you how to measure them perfectly.
A quick note on the chocolate. The recipe calls for Endangered Species Chocolate Vibrant Cherries plus Dark Chocolate bars, and that cherry kissed chocolate is what makes the ganache sing. Chop it into small, even pieces so it melts smoothly when the hot cream hits it.
For the Chocolate Cookies:
1 1/2 cups (188 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Cherry Ganache:
5 oz chocolate, chopped, Endangered Species Chocolate Vibrant Cherries + Dark Chocolate
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp (90 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (85 g) cherry preserves
Step by Step Instructions
Follow these steps exactly and you will have 32 beautiful cookies. Here is the timing at a glance:
Stage
Time
Prep
30 minutes
Chill
1 hour
Bake
9 to 11 minutes
Total
1 hour 40 minutes
Yield
32 cookies
Chilling the dough is not optional. It helps the cookies keep their shape as they bake, so do not skip the hour in the fridge!
Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder together until evenly combined, then set the flour mixture aside. This quick step makes sure the cocoa and leavening are distributed before they meet the butter.
Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and granulated white sugar on high speed using an electric mixer until creamy. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Creaming adds air and gives the cookies their soft, chewy bite.
Add the yolks and vanilla. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla extract on medium speed until the mixture turns light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. This is where the dough picks up richness and a beautiful pale, creamy color.
Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing would toughen the cookies, and we want them tender and chewy.
Scoop, indent, and chill. Scoop the dough into 32 portions with a tablespoon size cookie scoop and roll each portion into a ball. Press an indent into the center of each ball with a 1/4 teaspoon, then chill the dough balls for one hour. Chilling helps the cookies keep their shape as they bake.
Preheat and prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 15 minutes before you plan to bake. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange 8 cookies per sheet.
Bake. Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. I think 10 is perfect! The cookies will look set around the edges and still soft in the centers when they come out.
Reshape while hot. As soon as the cookies leave the oven, lightly press down on the centers again with a 1/4 teaspoon, since the indents may have faded a little as they baked. Then scoot a circular cookie cutter or biscuit cutter around each hot cookie to give it a perfect circular shape and bring it back to its original smaller size.
Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The ganache needs a fully cooled base.
Make the ganache. Add the chopped chocolate to a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan just until it is about to boil, then pour it over the chocolate and stir to combine. Keep stirring until the chocolate melts into a smooth, glossy mixture.
Add the cherry preserves. Mix the cherry preserves into the warm ganache until fully combined. This is what gives the filling its fruity cherry flavor.
Fill. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of chocolate cherry ganache into the center of each cooled cookie, using more if it fits. Fill them generously!
Chill to set. Chill the filled cookies in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the ganache to set, then serve.
Store. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
That is the whole recipe! Once the ganache is set, your cookies are ready to serve, gift, or arrange on the prettiest holiday tray.
Pro Tips
Keep these three tips in mind and your thumbprints will turn out bakery perfect every time:
Measure your flour the right way. This is the number one tip for better baking! Never scoop your measuring cup straight into the flour bag, because that packs in too much flour. Too much flour is the fastest way to lose the chewy texture.
Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife. Even better, weigh it. One cup of flour equals 120 to 125 grams. Getting the flour right keeps the cookies fudgy instead of dry.
Shape them while they are hot. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, swirl a circular cookie cutter around each one while it is still hot.
This tidies the edges, returns each cookie to its pre bake size, and gives you a neat, perfectly round cookie every single time. It takes only seconds and makes the cookies look bakery perfect.
Use a 1/4 teaspoon, not your thumb. Even though these are called thumbprint cookies, pressing the indent with a 1/4 teaspoon gives much prettier results. The little spoon makes a neat, even well that holds the ganache beautifully.
Remember: measure the flour carefully, shape the cookies while they are hot, and use a 1/4 teaspoon for the prettiest indents. Small details, big payoff!
Other Best Cookies to Try Next Time
If you loved these chocolate cherry cookies, here are more cookie recipes to try next: Butterbeer Cookies, Oreo Cheesecake Cookies, Chocolate Caramel Cookies, and Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies. Looking for more cherry bakes? Try my Cherry Blossom Cookies.
This recipe is adapted from the original at In Bloom Bakery. Save this recipe for Valentine’s Day, the holidays, or any time a chocolate craving strikes. If you bake these cookies, please leave a review below and tell me how they turned out!
FAQs
What kind of cocoa is best for chocolate cherry cookies?
Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for the deep, mellow chocolate flavor these cookies are known for. The recipe calls for 1/2 cup, 40 g, Dutch-process cocoa with 1/2 tsp baking powder, which gives a darker color and smoother taste than natural cocoa. Swapping in natural cocoa will still work but will taste sharper and look lighter and redder.
How do you keep the thumbprint indents from filling in as the cookies bake?
Chill the shaped dough for one hour before baking so the butter-rich dough holds its shape. Press each ball with a 1/4 tsp to make a neat well, then bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes with 8 cookies per parchment-lined sheet. Right out of the oven, gently re-press the centers with the 1/4 tsp while the cookies are still hot and pliable.
How should I store chocolate cherry cookies and how long do they last?
Store cooled, filled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Keep them in a single layer or separate layers with parchment so the ganache centers do not smudge. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate them to keep the filling fresh and let them sit briefly at room temperature before serving.
What should I do if my chocolate cherry ganache does not melt smoothly?
Chop the chocolate finely and heat the cream only until it is about to boil, then pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute before stirring slowly from the center. If pieces remain, warm the bowl gently over a double boiler on low heat and stir until melted. Avoid boiling the cream or stirring too fast, which can make the ganache oily or bubbly.
Why You’ll Love these Cherry Chocolate Cookies Say hello to the best chocolate cherry cookies you will ever bake! These fudgy chocolate thumbprint style cookies are filled with a silky chocolate cherry ganache, and they are perfect for Valentine’s Day, a holiday cookie tray, or any serious chocolate craving.
Total Time:100 min
Yield:32 Cookies 1x
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chocolate Cookies 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp sea salt 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup granulated white sugar 2 egg yolks, at room temperature 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Cherry Ganache 5 oz chocolate, chopped, Endangered Species Chocolate Vibrant Cherries + Dark Chocolate 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream 1/4 cup cherry preserves
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cookies 1-In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder together. Then set aside the flour mixture. 2-In a large bowl, cream the butter,: In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated white sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed. (You can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.) 3-Add in the egg yolks and vanilla: Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. 4-Add the dry ingredients to the wet: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. 5-Scoop the dough in 32 portions with: Scoop the dough in 32 portions with a tablespoon-size cookie scoop and roll into balls. Directly after rolling into a ball, press each with a 1/4 tsp to make an indent. Chill the dough for one hour. 6-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 15: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 15 minutes before you’re ready to bake the cookies. 7-Arrange 8 cookies per large, parchment paper: Arrange 8 cookies per large, parchment paper lined baking sheet. 8-Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes: Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. (I think 10 is perfect.) When the cookies are straight out of the oven lightly press down on the centers again with a 1/4 tsp. (They may have lost their indent a little as they baked.) Scoot a circular cookie cutter/biscuit cutter around each cookie while they are still hot to give them a perfect circular shape, and to get them back to their original smaller size. 9-Let the cookies cool on the baking: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to completely cool.
For the Chocolate Cherry Ganache 10-Add the chopped chocolate to a medium: Add the chopped chocolate to a medium bowl. 11-Heat the heavy cream in a small: Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan just until it’s about to boil, then pour it over the chocolate. Stir to combine together. 12-Add in the cherry preserves and mix: Add in the cherry preserves and mix together.
Assembling the Cookies 13-Fill the center of each cookie with: Fill the center of each cookie with about 1 teaspoon of ganache, more if it’ll fit. 14-Chill the cookies in the fridge for: Chill the cookies in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to allow the ganache to set. 15-Store left overs in an air tight: Store left overs in an air tight container for up to three days.
Last Step:
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Notes
Additional time: follow the resting and cooling steps (60 min).
