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Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

by Lyndsay Leave a Comment

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A stack of 3 shortbread cookies sit on a white table wrapped in parchment and a white ribbon.

If you are looking for a perfect, melt in your mouth shortbread cookie recipe, you have come to the right place. These Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies are so simple to make, yet have the best shortbread flavour and texture. Little hints of chocolate and dried cherries add wonderful bursts of holiday flavour! So heat up that oven, and get ready to whip up the best shortbread you’ve ever had!

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Chocolate Cherry Shortbread cookies are scattered around a piece of parchment paper on a white table, beside a tea towel and wooden spoon.

What You’ll Need | Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookie Ingredients

2 Cups Salted Butter

1 Cup Powdered Sugar (also called Icing Sugar or Confectioner’s Sugar)

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 Cup Cornstarch

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1/4 Cup Dried Cherries, roughly chopped

How To Make The Best Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

First, using a handheld mixer, beat softened butter with vanilla and icing sugar until well-blended.

Close up of whipped butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a white bowl with beaters for mixing.

Gradually blend in flour and cornstarch. Beat with mixer for 10 minutes (use a timer) until very light and fluffy.

Mixed raw shortbread cookie batter in white ceramic bowl.

On a cutting board, carefully chop dried cherries into pieces (so that they distribute nicely throughout the cookies).

close up of cut up dried cherry pieces

Add cherries and chocolate chips to cookie dough. Fold in with a spatula or wooden spoon.

whipped chocolate chip cherry cookie batter in a bowl with chocolate chips sprinkled on top.

Scoop by large tablespoon full onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, watching carefully to ensure they don’t burn! Cookies will be light on top and lightly browned on the bottom.

Raw spoonfuls of cookie dough are on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a baking rack to cool. Enjoy!

baked shortbread cookies on a drying rack

Shortbread Hints

These Chocolate Cherry Shortbread cookies are to die for. They melt away in your mouth with the first bite. And the blend of chocolate chips and dried cherries make them so festive! However, you could try adding any flavours you like. How about orange zest? Almond flavouring? Cinnamon and nutmeg? Get creative!

Be sure to beat your batter for the full 10 minutes. This helps create a light and fluffy shortbread that will melt in your mouth.

Use a handheld mixer for this recipe. Trust me, it just works. The stand mixer tends to create a heavier cookie that is not so light and fluffy. Anyways, it builds muscle 😉

Golden Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies on parchment paper

You don’t need to flatten your cookies once you drop them on the baking sheet. Leave them looking homemade and rustic! No need for a rolling pin or cookie press here!

Don’t place fresh cookie dough on a warm pan from the oven. The cookies have lots of butter, which will begin to melt instantly, changing the texture of these delicious shortbread.

Need a few supplies?

I have listed below a few supplies that help make this recipe easy to make and so delicious 🙂

Baking sheet pan with silicone mat and cooling rack set

Mini chocolate chips

Dried sweet cherries

Parchment paper (if you don’t use a silicone mat 🙂

Cooling racks (I really like having a set of 3 to hold all my baking!!)

Hand Mixer (mine is an old one I’ve had for years, but here is a Kitchenaid one that’s going on my wish list!!)

shortbread
Print Recipe

Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Melt in your mouth shortbread cookies with festive bursts of chocolate and dried cherries throughout!
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Keyword: cherry, chocolate cherry shortbread cookies, cookies, shortbread
Servings: 30 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1 tsp real vanilla extract
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips
  • ½ cup dried cherries, roughly chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, cream butter, icing sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
  • Gradually beat in cornstarch and flour. Continue mixing for 10 minutes until very light and fluffy.
  • Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, fold in mini chocolate chips and cranberries.
  • Drop by heaping spoonful (approx. 3 level tbsp) onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, turning sheets halfway through, until bottoms are light brown. Allow to cool a few minutes before transferring to baking rack (cookies are delicate when warm).

Notes

Ensure baking sheet has cooled completely before placing more cookie dough on them. I set mine in the snow to make this quick haha!
Cookies may be stored in an airtight container for about a week. If they last that long 🙂
These cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Package them up carefully, though, they are delicate!

What are your favourite Christmas cookies?

Do you have a go-to family recipe that you make year after year?!

Let me know in the comments below!

You might also like:

Homemade Winter Toque Ornament

Grandma’s Best Hot Chocolate

Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Balls

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Filed Under: Desserts, Recipes Tagged With: cherry, chocolate, christmas, cookies, holidays, shortbread

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Welcome to A Little Hint of This

Hi! I’m Lyndsay, a busy mom of 3 and occasional high-school teacher from small-town Ontario. Join me on my journey to get back-to-basics and create a more harmonious home. Read more about me here !

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