Buttery Shortbread Cookies with the sweet addition of chocolate and cherries! With a pretty pink color and a chocolate drizzle, Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread looks as good as it tastes.
I love shortbread recipes so much that I included an entire chapter about this cookie in my new cookbook! Today’s version is perfect for holidays or just a sweet treat at the end of the day.
This recipe was originally published in June 2013. The photos were updated in January 2023 and I updated the recipe notes in February 2025.
Shortbread cookies are by far one of my favorite cookies.
Chocolate covered cherries are one of my husband’s favorite candies. I don’t make them often because I’m not the biggest fan.
So, to compromise I took our two favorites (shortbread and chocolate cherries) and put them together!
Filled with maraschino cherry flavor and plenty of chocolate chips, these Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies come together in no time at all. You’ll love this recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- Maraschino cherries – Remove 5 cherries from the jar and chop them into small pieces. You’ll need 1/4 cup of the cherry juice to mix into the shortbread cookie dough.
- Powdered sugar – Using powdered sugar gives the shortbread a delicate crumb for perfect consistency and melt in your mouth flavor.
- Butter – Use unsalted REAL butter for best taste. Use my tips and tricks on how to soften butter, I’ve got several ways to do it quickly!
- Mini chocolate chips – I prefer semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips paired with the cherry flavor.
How to Make Cherry Shortbread
Making shortbread hardly gets any easier!
Beat the ingredients for the dough together in a bowl, folding in the mini chocolate chips and cherry pieces. Leave some of the chocolate morsels aside for the topping.
NOTE: the dough WILL be crumbly. Use your warm hands to bring it together in the bowl and patting it on the baking sheet.
Spread the dough in a rectangle on a baking sheet and bake for 15 – 20 minutes. After removing the pan from the oven, immediately slice the shortbread into strips and let cool.
Melt the remaining mini morsels and drizzle over the cookies. Let the chocolate set for a few minutes before eating or storing.
Recipe FAQs
Mine measured about 14 x 9 inches and nearly filled a cookie sheet. The shortbread dough should be about an inch thick before baking. You could also press it into a 13×9 baking dish. If it’s thicker than it should be, just add a minute or two to the baking time.
I line my pan with parchment paper and use floured hands to press the dough evenly into the pan. This prevents the thick buttery dough from sticking to both the pan AND your fingers!
I sliced my baked shortbread into thirds first then into 1 inch strips lengthwise. A sharp knife or pizza cutter work great for making even cuts.
You can keep shortbread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- If you love fruit in cookies, add our raspberry lemon cookies to your baking list. Fantastic!
- Love today’s cookie? These toffee shortbread cookies are a reader favorite too. Or give my lemon biscotti recipe a try for a crunchy breakfast treat.
- Who can resist this easy No Bake Oreo Cheesecake? Perfect for year round dessert.
- I love how cute these Checkerboard Cookies turn out, with their blocks of chocolate and vanilla.
- I took my cookie recipe and made this Coconut Shortbread instead, so good!
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Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
- 5 maraschino cherries chopped
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with powdered sugar for two minutes, until creamy. Add cherry juice, cherries, flour and salt. Beat until fully combined.
- Fold in 1/4 cup mini morsels.
- Spread dough on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. My dough measured about 14x9inch. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Cut immediately after removing from oven. I cut mine into strips by cutting in thirds lengthwise, then cutting one inch strips, width-wise.
- Melt remaining 1/4 cup mini morsels. Put into a ziploc bag and cut off the corner. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Allow to set and enjoy!
Notes
- To spread cookie dough on parchment paper, dip fingertips (repeatedly) in flour to keep them from sticking.
- Store cookies in air tight container for up to one week.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Make these buttery Cherry Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies for all the chocolate covered cherries fans you know! In less than 30 minutes you’ll have enough delicious cherry shortbread to share with the whole family.
Is that correct only 5 cherries???
Could you use a cookie cutter to make shapes out of these before baking?
I baked these for Valentine’s Day and they were okay. The edge pieces were dry and you can’t taste the cherry much at all. I think I’m maybe not a shortbread lover. I’m going to try the cookies and cream cheeseball next weekend.
Shortbread is definitely dry. It’s a melt in your mouth, buttery, crunchy cookie. And it’s not for everyone. I appreciate your honesty! In other news….enjoy the cheeseball 🙂
I have made this so many times so far – school events, holiday parties, Christmas goody bags. It always comes out fabulous. The only thing is that I don’t have powdered sugar so I grind granulated sugar until it’s a cup worth. I’ve cut small bite sized pieces to go with cherry-almond cupcakes. It really is scrumptious.
Also forgot to add. I use dark chocolate chips. Cherry & dark chocolate goes so well together.
Not sure what went wrong…there are only a few ingredients and a few steps…but these turned out awful. It took waaaaay longer than 5 minutes just trying to get it from a powdery substance to something that would mold together in the pan. It was so dry. I added a lot more cherry juice to help moisten it. It came out with almost no flavor and crumbling apart. I made a second batch with at least double the juice and I doubled the cherries. It had a better consistency (i.e. not dry crumbs) but still almost no flavor. I’m bummed out. This looked so fantastic. What went wrong? Any tips or suggestions? More butter? A little vanilla?
When it comes to shortbread, using the heat of your hands can help the dough come together. I’ve made these several times with no problems. Is your butter fully softened? As for no flavor…shortbread is definitely a less sweet (but still delicious cookie). Without being in your kitchen though, I’m not sure what else to tell you! 🙁
I know you posted these back in June, but they are perfect for Valentine’s Day and I happen to have a jar of maraschino cherries so I’m going to have to make these today!!! Gorgeous!! Pinned!
Super Gorgeous Aimee!!
YUMMERS!! Just pinned…
so cute! I love the color!
Mmm I can already taste the shortbread cookies melting in my mouth. Pinning!
These are so pretty! I’m not the biggest fan of maraschino cherries but I do love shortbread! And I like the combination of cherries and chocolate!
These are so pretty, Aimee! I love anything with maraschino cherries! 🙂