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These easy maraschino cherry shortbread cookies for Christmas are the kind of cookie that looks festive before you do much decorating. The dough is buttery and tender, with little red cherry pieces and tiny chocolate chips in every slice.
I like them for cookie boxes because they hold their shape, travel well, and taste even better once the butter settles overnight. The main thing is patience. Dry the cherries, pack the dough log tightly, and let the refrigerator do its work.
Cherry Shortbread Lineup
This is a small-ingredient cookie, so the butter and cherries matter. Use softened butter that bends under your finger, not melted butter, and blot the cherries longer than you think you need to.
- Unsalted butter. Gives the cookies their rich shortbread flavor and tender bite.
- Powdered sugar. Sweetens the dough while keeping the texture fine and delicate.
- Vanilla extract. Rounds out the butter and softens the candy-like cherry flavor.
- All-purpose flour. Builds the crumbly shortbread structure. For accuracy, the King Arthur Baking weight chart is helpful when measuring by grams.
- Fine salt. Keeps the cookies from tasting flat.
- Maraschino cherries. Add bright color, sweet cherry flavor, and the holiday look.
- Mini chocolate chips. Give small chocolate pockets without making the dough hard to slice.
- Almond extract. Optional, but a tiny amount makes the cherry flavor taste deeper.
Shape, Chill, Slice, Bake
- Dry the cherries. Drain, chop, and blot the cherries on paper towels until they feel tacky rather than wet.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk flour and salt together so the salt does not collect in one spot.
- Cream the butter. Beat butter and powdered sugar until smooth and pale, then mix in vanilla and almond extract.
- Bring the dough together. Add the flour mixture and mix until clumps form, then fold in cherries and mini chocolate chips.
- Form the log. Press the dough into a tight 2-inch-wide log. Wrap well and chill until firm.
- Bake gently. Slice into 1/3-inch rounds and bake at 325°F until the edges are set and just lightly golden.
The Cherry Drying Step
Wet cherries are the reason this cookie goes from pretty to frustrating. They can stain the dough too much, soften the shortbread, and make the log split when you slice it. I drain the cherries first, chop them, then spread them between fresh paper towels while I measure everything else.
You do not need them bone dry. They should look glossy but not leave syrup on your fingers. If you like the cherry flavor but want a cleaner slice, use half red and half green candied cherries instead of jarred maraschino cherries. For another cherry bake with the same cheerful color, try easy almond cherry bread.
How To Slice Clean Rounds
Shortbread dough needs pressure. When you shape the log, press it firmly through the plastic wrap and roll it a few times so there are no hollow spots inside. A loose log makes crumbly cookies, even if the dough itself is correct.
Use a thin sharp knife and rotate the log a quarter turn after each slice. That keeps one side from flattening. If a round cracks, press it back together on the baking sheet. Shortbread is forgiving before it bakes. If you already love buttery cookies, the site has classic shortbread cookies and tiny Christmas shortbread bites for the same cookie tray.
Flavor Swaps That Fit
Mini chocolate chips are easier to slice than regular chips. They also spread through the dough more evenly. White chocolate works too, especially if you add the almond extract, but chop it small so the knife does not drag through the log.
For a nuttier cookie, add 1/3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans. For a brighter cookie, grate in a little orange zest. Keep the mix-ins small and light. Shortbread does not have egg to bind heavy add-ins, so too much extra texture can make the slices break.
Gift Boxes And Cookie Trays
These cookies are best once fully cool. The butter firms up, the crumb settles, and the cherry flavor tastes less sharp. I bake them a day before packing if I can.
Layer them with parchment in a tin and keep the prettiest slices for the top. They look especially good beside cherry chocolate cookies because the flavors match without the textures feeling repeated. For gifting, avoid packing them beside mint cookies unless you want every cookie in the box to taste like mint.
Storage And Freezing Notes
Baked cookies keep well at room temperature for about a week. Keep them airtight and away from heat so the chocolate stays neat. If your kitchen is warm, use a cool pantry instead of the counter.
The dough log freezes beautifully. Wrap it in plastic, then foil, and label it with the baking temperature. Thaw overnight in the fridge, slice while still cold, and add 1-2 minutes to the bake time if needed.
FAQs
- Can I use green maraschino cherries too?
Yes. Red and green cherries make the cookies look extra festive. Drain both colors very well and chop them small so the dough slices cleanly.
- Why did my shortbread dough crumble?
Shortbread dough can look dry before it comes together. Keep mixing until larger clumps form, then press the log firmly with your hands. If it still falls apart, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before shaping.
- Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Wrap the dough log tightly and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the log for up to 2 months, then thaw it in the fridge until sliceable.
- Do I need to rinse maraschino cherries?
No. Rinsing removes too much of their cherry flavor. Drain them from the jar, chop them, then blot with paper towels until they stop leaving wet streaks.
- Can I skip the chocolate chips?
Yes. The cookies still bake well without chocolate. You can replace the chips with finely chopped white chocolate, toasted pecans, or leave the dough plain for a cleaner cherry shortbread flavor.
- How should I store baked cherry shortbread cookies?
Store cooled cookies in an airtight tin at room temperature for 5-7 days. Add parchment between layers so the chocolate and cherry bits do not mark the cookies above them.
