Description
Indulgent Black Forest Cookies merge rich chocolate with luscious cherries, creating a delightful homage to classic German cake. Chocolate lovers will savor these irresistible treats that blend sweet nostalgia with modern cookie perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate and Cherries:
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for garnish
- ½ cup drained & finely chopped maraschino cherries, plus extra for garnish
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients and Sweeteners:
- ¼ cup (½ stick or 113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the oven by heating to 350°F (175°C), ensuring an even temperature for optimal baking.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly blend softened butter with brown sugar until light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cookies.
- Incorporate a whole egg and pure vanilla extract into the butter mixture, stirring until perfectly integrated and achieving a uniform consistency.
- Sift together all-purpose flour, rich cocoa powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl to eliminate any potential lumps.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently to create a cohesive chocolate cookie dough.
- Carefully chop maraschino cherries and fold them into the dough along with semi-sweet chocolate chips, distributing evenly throughout the mixture.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded portions of dough onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving adequate space between each cookie.
- Artfully press additional chopped cherries and chocolate chips onto the top of each cookie dough mound for enhanced visual appeal and flavor intensity.
- Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, watching for slightly crisp edges and a soft center.
- Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to rest on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Transfer the delicate cookies to a wire cooling rack, letting them cool completely to develop their final texture and flavor profile.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain their soft, chewy texture.
- Drain maraschino cherries thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture from making cookies soggy.
- Chill dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent spreading and create thicker, more structured cookies.
- Use dark cocoa powder for deeper chocolate flavor that complements the sweet cherry notes.
- For extra indulgence, drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled cookies to enhance their Black Forest cake-inspired profile.
- Experiment with adding a splash of kirsch (cherry liqueur) to intensify the traditional German dessert flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 43g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg