These chunky Black Forest cookies capture the nostalgic flavors of German Black Forest cake in the form of a delicious cookie! Chewy chocolate cookies are mixed with dark chocolate chips for a rich chocolatey flavor. And white chocolate chips are added to be reminiscent of whipped cream. Finally fresh cherries are mixed in for that essential fruity flavor!
This cookie dough might be unlike other cookies you've made. I learned this special method of mixing cookie dough from Crumbs and Doilies. I visited their bake shop in SoHo, London, and they make some of the best chunky, chubby, thick cookies!
These chocolate cherry cookies capture the delicious flavors of Black Forest cake, without the hassle of making a whole cake, cherry filling, and whipped cream.
If you love those classic flavors but with way less work, try my other delicious Black Forest dessert recipes!
Growing up in Germany, we'd often see Black Forest Cake in confectionaries in more touristy places. But after moving back to the U.S., I realized how much I miss German desserts!
However, sometimes I just don't want to deal with the hassle of making a whole layer cake, homemade cherry filling, and whipped cream topping. That's where these Black Forest cookies come in to save the day. They don't require any chilling, and you'll have the nostalgic flavors of Black Forest cake in a handheld cookie in under one hour!
And for more easy cookies inspired by cakes, try red velvet Oreo cookies, festive birthday cake cookies, and German chocolate cake mix cookies.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Unsalted butter - keep your butter cold in the fridge
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar - measure it by packing it into your measuring cup
- White chocolate chips - or substitute a chopped white chocolate bar
- Dark chocolate chips - or substitute a chopped dark chocolate bar
- All purpose flour
- Dutch process cocoa powder - or substitute unsweetened cocoa powder. I like using Dutch processed cocoa powder in these cookies for a darker color and a slightly fruity flavor to compliment the cherries.
- Salt - use fine sea salt or table salt, not kosher salt
- Baking soda
- Eggs - allow your eggs to warm to room temperature for about 20 minutes
- Almond extract - or substitute vanilla extract
- Fresh cherries - or substitute dried cherries
How to Make this Recipe
Below is the process to make this recipe. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient quantities, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Cut the cold butter into cubes.
2. Mix the butter to break it up a bit.
3. Mix in the granulated sugar and brown sugar.
5. Mix in the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda until it forms fine dry crumbs.
7. Remove the pits and stems from the cherries. Chop each cherry into quarters.
9. Press the dough into 12 evenly-shaped balls in the palms of your hands. Spread out the dough balls on a baking sheet.
4. Mix in the white and dark chocolate chips.
6. In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs. Mix in the whisked eggs and almond extract.
8. Add the chopped cherries and mix on low speed for just 10 seconds.
10. Bake at 350°F for 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking pan, then enjoy!!
Carissa's Kitchen Tip
To remove the cherry pits, use a small paring knife to cut around the pit in the center of the cherry. Then pull the two halves of the cherry apart, and remove the pit in the middle with your fingers.
Recipe Tips
- Chocolate Topping: Add extra chopped cherries and chocolate chips on top of each cookie dough ball, to ensure they're loaded on top!
- Melted Chocolate: To get puddles of melted chocolate, chop up a chocolate baking bar. These melt a lot faster than chocolate chips, which contain stabilizers to help them hold their shape.
- Adding the Cherries: This dough is thick, so it's hard to fold the cherries into it. Just add the cherries then mix the dough with your mixer for 10 seconds on the lowest speed to distribute the cherries.
- Shaping the Dough: Use the palms of your hands to gently press the dough into large balls. This dough is meant to be really chunky.
Variations
- Smaller Cookies: This recipe makes really chunky, thick cookies. You can make smaller cookies by dividing the dough into 20 or 24 cookie dough balls instead of 12.
- Glaze: For an extra-special touch on top, drizzle melted white chocolate or a simple glaze.
- Less Sweet: If you don't like super sweet cookies, substitute some of the white chocolate or dark chocolate for bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate.
Storage
Storing Raw Cookie Dough
Fridge: Store unbaked cookie dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Place the cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours, until they're frozen solid. Then you can transfer them to an airtight container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
Storing Baked Cookies
Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container or freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Can I Use Maraschino Cherries?
I personally don't like the flavor of maraschino cherries, since they taste kind of fake to me. But you can certainly chop them and add them into your cookies. Just squeeze them to drain away the excess juice.
Do I Need to Chill My Cookies First?
I tested my Black Forest cookies recipe by baking the cookies right away as well as by chilling them in the freezer first.
You can see in the photo above there's very little difference between the chilled cookie (on the left) and the cookie that was baked right away (on the right).
The cookies I baked without chilling them were actually better, in my opinion, because once the cherries in the dough are frozen, they release more moisture as the cookies bake. Therefore the cookies baked after being frozen are gooey and softer. Which isn't a bad thing, just a preference in texture! 🙂
More Cookie Recipes
Looking for more delicious cookie recipes like this? Try these:
Chunky Black Forest Cookies
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- mixing bowls
- hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold (2 sticks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate bar)
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs whisked separately in a small bowl
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup fresh cherries washed, pitted, and chopped into quarters (measured after being chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the cold butter into cubes. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the cold cubed butter. Mix for 30 seconds just to break up the butter a bit.
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix until the sugar is distributed and the butter is coated, after about 1 minute.
- Add the white chocolate chips and dark chocolate chips. Mix for just 10 seconds to distribute the chocolate.
- Add the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix again until it forms fine dry crumbs, after 1 to 2 minutes. (It's okay if there are some larger chunks still.)
- Add the whisked eggs and almond extract. Mix just until the dough comes together and no longer looks dry, for about 30 seconds. (It should still be chunky and not entirely smooth.)
- Add the chopped cherries and mix on low speed for just 10 seconds, to distribute the cherries.
- Gently press the dough into 12 evenly-shaped balls in the palms of your hands. Spread out the dough balls on your prepared baking sheet. The dough balls should be big, about 2 inches in diameter. (You can make smaller dough balls for smaller cookies, if you desire.)
- Bake the cookies for 17 to 20 minutes.Let cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking pan, then enjoy!!
Notes
- Chocolate Topping: Add extra chopped cherries and chocolate chips on top of each cookie dough ball, to ensure they're loaded on top!
- Adding the Cherries: This dough is thick, so it's hard to fold the cherries into it. Just add the cherries then mix the dough with your mixer for 10 seconds on the lowest speed to distribute the cherries.
- Shaping the Dough: Use the palms of your hands to gently press the dough into large balls. This dough is meant to be really chunky.
- Smaller Cookies: This recipe makes really chunky, thick cookies. You can make smaller cookies by dividing the dough into 20 or 24 cookie dough balls instead of 12.
- Storing: Store raw cookie dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store baked & cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Shanon
These turned out tasty, love how chunky they are!
Carissa Erzen
I'm so glad! I love a chunky cookie!
Josie
My grandma always made us black forest cake growing up, but I'm not the best baker so I don't make cakes often. These were easier to make than the cake and had the best flavor! I will make them again for our next family get together!
Carissa Erzen
You'll be the best baker in your family if you stick around the blog! hehe 🙂 I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed these cookies.
Lina
It's so cool that you have a lot of black forest variations, this looks great and can't wait to try it 🙂
Carissa Erzen
Thanks! I'm kind of obsessed with turning desserts into Black Forest themed desserts lol Let me know if you get to try any more!