Cherry Pie Cookies
A sweet, buttery base topped with homemade filling; these cherry pie cookies are irresistible! Enjoy them as-is or dress them up with a white chocolate drizzle for special occasions. However, you make them, they’re sure to be devoured in record time.
The combination of sugar cookie comfort with a sweet, uplifting fruit filling is perfect in the warmer months, and these cherry pie cookies are exactly that! They’re light and refreshing but also indulgent and can be varied to suit your taste preferences that day.
Plus, with no chill time needed, these cherry cookies come together in about 35 minutes, making them perfect for last-minute get-togethers. With their tasty flavor and pop of color, you’ll be making these cookies over and over again.
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cherry pie filling:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, chopped
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 1/4 cup water
Preparation time:
Total Time: 35 minutes
- Preparation of the cherry pie filling: 6 minutes
- Making the Dough: 8 minutes (mixing ingredients)
- Form the cookies: 5 minutes
- Baking time: 10- 12 minutes
- Cool the cookies: 15 minutes
Serves: 12 cookies
Instructions:
1- Cherry filling:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped cherries, sugar, and lemon juice.
- In a separate bowl, dissolve the flour in the water, then add this mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
2- Cookie dough:
- In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and mix until a smooth dough forms.
- Using a #20 scoop, form small dough balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Make a small indentation in the center of each cookie.
3- Baking and assembly:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
- When they come out of the oven, gently press the indentation again.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before filling them with the cherry mixture.
- Optional: drizzle with melted white chocolate for decoration.
Variations and Substitutions
Frozen fruit: Though the recipe calls for fresh cherries, frozen ones will work too. You may just need to boil down the filling a bit more to achieve the same consistency.
Drizzle: To amp up the look and indulgence of the cherry pie cookies, drizzle them with some melted white chocolate. Or go for a classic taste and use milk chocolate on top.
Fruit: The cookies can be made with a variety of fruits, so use what’s in season. Whipping up an apricot, peach, or berry filling will be just as delicious and give a new twist to the cookies.
Zest: Bring a pop of citrus flavor by mixing some lemon, lime, or orange zest into the filling or sprinkling it on top once the cookies are baked.
Nutty undertones: Add a hint of almond extract into the base of the cookies for a subtle nutty flavor.
Store-bought filling: You can use a pre-made pie filling for the cookies if you’re in a pinch, but know that the taste and texture of the cookies will be different.
How To Make The Best Cherry Pie Cookies
To ensure the cookies come out with the best possible texture, make sure that the butter is at room temperature before you need it and that you’re measuring the flour by spooning into the cup (versus scooping). This allows everything to mix more evenly.
To skip the flour in the filling, you can use cornstarch instead. Mix one teaspoon of cornstarch to one tablespoon of water until it’s dissolved before adding it in.
When portioning the dough balls, take care to press them together well to prevent cracks in the cookies while baking.
Make the indentation in the cookies evenly throughout the batch. Don’t risk pressing all the way through the dough. Just ensure that it’s well-formed to hold the filling better. This can be done with your thumb or a teaspoon.
If the indentation loses its shape while baking, use a spoon to re-shape it once the cookies are out of the oven before they cool completely.
The cookies are done baking when the edges are golden, but the centers remain soft. They’ll firm up a bit as they sit.
Do not add the filling until the base of the cookies is completely cooled. Waiting an extra few minutes allows the cherry pie filling to set in the indentation better and prevents it from spilling over.
To store the cookies: Let them cool completely before storing them at room temperature in a container for 3 days or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
If you want to make the cookies ahead of time, you can freeze the base of the cookies once baked before you fill them. To do this, cool fully and store them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container or bag. When you need them, let them thaw and come to room temperature before adding the filling.
Cherry Pie Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookie dough:
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cherry pie filling:
- 1 1/2 cups cherries fresh and chopped
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp flour
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
Cherry filling:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the chopped cherries, sugar, and lemon juice.
- In a separate bowl, dissolve the flour in the water, then add this mixture to the saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Cookie dough:
- In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and mix until a smooth dough forms.
- Using a #20 scoop, form small dough balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Make a small indentation in the center of each cookie.
Baking and assembly:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
- When they come out of the oven, gently press the indentation again.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before filling them with the cherry mixture.
- Optional: drizzle with melted white chocolate for decoration.
Notes
- Butter Consistency: Ensure the butter is at room temperature before starting. This will help it blend evenly with the sugars, creating a light and fluffy texture.
- Measuring Ingredients: Accurately measure dry ingredients using proper measuring cups. Too much flour can result in tough cookies.
- Fruit Substitution: If you don’t have fresh cherries, you can use frozen cherries.
- Alternative Thickener: Instead of flour, you can use cornstarch to thicken the cherry filling. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water before adding it to the pan.
- Storage and Freshness: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the baked cookies without the filling and then add the cherry mixture when ready to serve.
- Creating the Indentation: When making the indentation in the center of the cookies, be careful not to go all the way through the dough. A well-formed indentation will hold the filling better.
- Re-indent if Necessary: Re-indent the centers immediately after removing the cookies from the oven to ensure the filling has a well-defined space. Use the back of a spoon for this step.
- Cooling: Allow the cookies to cool completely before adding the filling. This helps the filling set better and prevents it from spilling over.
- Baking Control: Keep an eye on the cookies during baking to prevent them from burning. The edges should be golden, but the center should still appear slightly soft. The cookies will continue to cook a bit while cooling on the tray.
