My grandmother used to make Black Forest cake every Christmas, and the smell of chocolate and cherries still takes me right back to her kitchen. These black forest cookies bring all those memories into a simple, easier format that even Liam can help create. Through countless batches and plenty of taste testing, I've perfected this black forest cookie recipe that captures the essence of that classic German dessert without the fuss of layers and frosting. The secret lies in the double chocolate base combined with tart dried cherries - creating that signature chocolate cherry flavor combo everyone recognizes immediately. What makes these truly special is how the cherries get slightly jammy during baking while the dark chocolate stays rich and fudgy.
Why You'll Love This Black Forest Cookies
These Black Forest Cookies win over everyone who tries them. Liam's friends always request "those cherry chocolate cookies" for playdates and school events. The fudgy cherry cookies stay incredibly moist for days thanks to the cherry moisture and double chocolate base. What makes these black forest cookies crk special is how the dried cherries get slightly jammy during baking while the dark chocolate creates that decadent cookie texture everyone craves. They look impressive with minimal effort - just a quick white chocolate drizzle transforms them into something fancy. Perfect for easy holiday baking when you need something that travels well and feeds a crowd without spending hours in the kitchen.
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Black Forest Cookies Ingredients
The Cookie Base:
- All-purpose flour
- Dark cocoa powder
- Melted chocolate
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda
- Salt
The Cherry Component:
- Dried cherries (or fresh)
- Dark chocolate chunks
The Topping:
- White chocolate chips
- Extra dried cherries
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Black Forest Cookies Step By Step
Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients and Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop your dried cherries into smaller pieces if using whole ones - this helps distribute cherry flavor throughout every bite. Melt your dark chocolate and let it cool slightly while you gather other ingredients. Room temperature butter and eggs make the biggest difference in texture for these soft and chewy chocolate cookies. Liam always helps measure the cocoa powder - his favorite part because he gets to lick the spoon.
Step 2: Mix the Chocolate Base
In a large bowl, cream together your butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Add your eggs one at a time, then stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract. The mixture should look glossy and smell like pure chocolate heaven. This double chocolate base creates that signature fudgy texture that makes these chocolate crinkle cookies with cherries absolutely irresistible.
Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, dark cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. The key to rich chocolate flavor is using quality cocoa powder - don't skimp here. Gradually add the dry mixture to your wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Overmixing creates tough cookies instead of that perfect moist chewy cookies texture we're after. Fold in your chopped dried cherries and chocolate chunks gently at the end.
Step 4: Shape and Bake
Scoop dough into balls about 2 tablespoons each and place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. These black forest cookies spread during baking, so give them space. Press a few extra cherry pieces on top of each cookie before baking - this makes them look bakery-perfect. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
Step 5: Add the Finishing Touch
Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Once fully cooled, melt your white chocolate chips and drizzle over each cookie using a fork or piping bag. This white chocolate drizzle mimics the whipped cream from traditional Black Forest cake and adds beautiful contrast. Press a few extra cherry pieces on top while the chocolate is still wet for that professional bakery-style cookies look.
Black Forest Cookies Variations
These variations keep the classic alive with fun twists:
Black Forest Thumbprint Cookies
- Make indent in each dough ball before baking
- Fill with cherry preserves after baking halfway through
- Creates gooey cherry filling center in every bite
- Perfect for Christmas cookie ideas and holiday parties
Black Forest Cookies Using Cake Mix
- Start with chocolate cake mix as base instead
- Add melted chocolate for extra fudgy texture boost
- Reduces prep time by 10 minutes significantly
- Great shortcut for busy baking days ahead
Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- Add both dark and milk chocolate chunks together
- Creates more complex chocolate cherry flavor combo throughout
- Extra decadent cookies for serious chocolate lovers only
- Liam's absolute favorite variation of this recipe
Red Velvet Black Forest Cookies
- Replace some cocoa with red velvet cake mix
- Add cream cheese frosting drizzle instead of white chocolate
- Beautiful red color perfect for Valentine's Day celebrations
- Combines two classic desserts in one amazing cookie
Black Forest Cookie Sandwiches
- Sandwich two cookies with cherry buttercream filling between
- Roll edges in chocolate sprinkles for decoration
- Makes an impressive party cookie recipe presentation
- Perfect for gifting cookies to friends and family
Substitutions
Cherry Options:
- Fresh cherries → Dried cherries
- Maraschino cherries → Dried cherries
- Cherry preserves → Whole cherries
- Frozen cherries → Fresh or dried
Chocolate Swaps:
- Cocoa powder → Melted chocolate
- Milk chocolate → Dark chocolate
- White chocolate → Dark chocolate chunks
- Sugar-free chocolate → Regular chocolate
Dietary Needs:
- Gluten-free flour → All-purpose
- Coconut oil → Butter
- Flax eggs → Regular eggs
- Coconut sugar → Brown sugar
Equipment For Black Forest Cookies
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Cookie scoop
- Wire cooling rack
Storage Tips
Room Temperature Storage
- Store in airtight container at room temperature
- Layer between parchment paper sheets to prevent sticking
- Keeps fresh and chewy for 5 days easily
- Best texture within first 3 days of baking
Refrigerator Method
- Store covered in refrigerator up to 10 days
- Bring to room temperature before serving for best taste
- Cold cookies taste fine but lose some softness
- Great for making ahead before big events
Freezer Storage
- Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months successfully
- Freeze cookie dough balls for fresh-baked anytime convenience
- Thaw overnight or bake frozen adding 2 minutes
- Perfect for always having homemade cookies ready
Gifting Tips
- Package in clear bags tied with ribbon beautifully
- Layer in decorative tins between wax paper
- These chocolate cherry cookies ship well for holidays
- Include recipe card for friends who request it
Top Tip
- Liam and I stumbled on our favorite twist to black forest cookies during a baking experiment gone wonderfully right. We were testing the black forest cookies using cake mix version for a quicker option, and Liam accidentally knocked a jar of cherry juice into the chocolate batter. Instead of starting over, we decided to see what happened. Those cookies turned out darker, richer, and had the most incredible cherry flavor woven throughout every bite.
- Now we always add two tablespoons of tart cherry juice to our cookie dough. The liquid reduces slightly during baking, concentrating that cherry essence without making cookies wet or cakey. The juice also reacts with cocoa powder to deepen the chocolate color, making these cookies look almost black - just like real Black Forest cake layers.
FAQ
What makes a cookie a black forest cookie?
A black forest cookie combines dark chocolate base with cherries and white chocolate drizzle, mimicking the classic German Black Forest cake flavors. The chocolate cherry flavor combo creates that signature taste. These fudgy cherry cookies must have rich chocolate flavor and tart cherries throughout.
What is Michelle Obama's favorite cookie?
Michelle Obama's favorite is reportedly chocolate chip cookies, but these black forest cookies would definitely win her over. The double chocolate cookies with cherry twist offer sophistication beyond basic chocolate chip. They're perfect for anyone who loves decadent cookies with complex flavors throughout.
What are the 7 basic ingredients in all cookies?
Most cookies need flour, sugar, butter, eggs, leavening, salt, and flavoring. These black forest dessert cookies follow that formula but add cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and dried cherries. The combination creates soft and chewy chocolate cookies that stay moist for days.
What is black forest flavor made of?
Black forest flavor combines dark chocolate with tart cherries and cream, originating from Germany's Black Forest region. These Black Forest Cookies capture that essence perfectly. The rich chocolate flavor pairs with dried cherry cookies sweetness, creating bakery-style cookies everyone loves immediately.
Time to Bake Something Special!
Now you have every secret to making perfect black forest cookies - from choosing the right cherries to our cherry juice trick that intensifies flavor throughout every bite. These chocolate cherry cookies prove that classic German dessert cookies deserve a permanent spot in your recipe collection year-round. Whether you're baking for the holidays, creating gifting cookies for friends and neighbors, or just treating your family to something special, these fudgy cherry cookies deliver impressive results with simple ingredients you probably already have. The double chocolate base combined with tart cherries creates a flavor combination that keeps everyone coming back for seconds and thirds.
Craving more incredible desserts to round out your holiday baking? Our Best Texas Chocolate Pecan Pie combines gooey chocolate filling with crunchy toasted pecans in a buttery crust that disappears from every dessert table. This southern classic is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you need a show-stopping pie that tastes as good as it looks. The rich chocolate flavor pairs beautifully with pecans for a decadent cookies alternative. Need something festive and fun for holiday parties? Our Easy Christmas Tree Cupcakes Recipe transforms simple cupcakes into adorable edible Christmas trees that kids absolutely love making and eating. Liam and his friends have the best time decorating these - they're perfect for classroom parties and family gatherings.
Share your baking success with us! We absolutely love seeing your chocolate cherry creations, reading your feedback, celebrating your kitchen victories, and hearing how these cookies became part of your family traditions too!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rate this Black Forest Cookies and join our growing baking family!
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Black Forest Cookies
Black Forest Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Baking sheets (Lined with parchment)
- 1 Parchment paper (For easy cleanup)
- 2 Large mixing bowls (Wet and dry ingredients)
- 1 Electric mixer (Hand or stand mixer)
- 1 Cookie scoop (2 tablespoon size)
- 1 Wire cooling rack (For cooling cookies)
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- 1 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dark cocoa powder - High-quality preferred
- ½ cup Melted dark chocolate - Cooled slightly
- 1 cup Brown sugar - Light or dark
- ½ cup Butter - Room temperature
- 2 Eggs - Room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Cherry + Chocolate Mix-ins
- 1 cup Dried cherries - Chopped
- 1 cup Dark chocolate chunks - Or chips
Topping
- ½ cup White chocolate chips - Melted for drizzle
- ¼ cup Dried cherries - Extra for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment. Chop dried cherries. Melt dark chocolate and allow to cool slightly.
- Cream butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in melted chocolate and vanilla until glossy.
- Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add dry mixture to wet mixture just until combined. Fold in chopped cherries and chocolate chunks.
- Scoop 2-tbsp dough balls onto baking sheets. Add extra cherry pieces on top. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to rack.
- Drizzle cooled cookies with melted white chocolate and add extra cherry pieces.
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