Frosted Amish Cherry Sugar Cookies are crispy around the edges yet pillowy soft and chewy inside. They get their pink color, great flavor, and soft texture from maraschino cherries.

If you’re familiar with the Shirley Temple drink, these cookies taste like that!! Plus, they will melt in your mouth!

Every December I share several cookie recipes with you. When I was looking for inspiration this year I chose these Cherry Sugar Cookies because my youngest son loves maraschino cherries! I was correct in my guess, he loves them. What surprised me is that I LOVE THEM!!!

They have just the right amount of cherry flavor (and aren’t they a beautiful color?). As well, I like the texture of the cherries in the cookies. The cherries aren’t as hard as raisins or dried cranberries, they’re soft yet chewy.

Additionally, that beautiful pink color is all from the cherries so there’s no additional food coloring. (Although, I’m sure those cherries are naturally that red!)

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

Butter – For a chewy cookie you want to use melted butter. For cakey cookies, you use softened (room temperature) butter. You can use either in this recipe, but I prefer using melted butter. However, you need to use real butter, not margarine. You can use either salted or unsalted. I used salted.
Flour – You need to use all-purpose flour for these cookies, sifted then measured correctly.
Cherries – Maraschino cherries are also called cocktail cherries. They’re bright red, come either with or without stems, and they are in a liquid (like these). They are not candied cherries (without liquid). For cocktails the stems are nice, but we don’t need stems for cookies so purchase without if you can find them. In the store, maraschino cherries are typically located with the cocktail mixers. They may also be on the baking aisle by the pie fillings, chocolate chips, and nuts.
Flavorings – I prefer pure almond extract for these cookies. Almond pairs wonderfully with cherries. You can also use cherry extract, but I have a hard time finding it. If you don’t have almond (or cherry) you can use pure vanilla extract.
Cream of tartar – Basically, this ingredient keeps cookies soft. (Technically, the scientific explanation, cream of tartar prevents sugar in the cookie dough from crystalizing into crunchiness.) You can find it here or with the baking ingredients and spices in the store.

HOW TO MAKE FROSTED AMISH CHERRY SUGAR COOKIES

Cherry Sugar Cookies are simple to throw together and almost foolproof.

Drain the cherries and reserve the liquid. Mince the cherries and pat them dry with paper towels. They need to be very dry.
In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, beat the melted butter and sugars until creamy.
Add the egg and extract.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
Now, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Don’t overbeat it or the cookies will be tough.
Now add the minced cherries until just combined.
Refrigerate the cookie dough for 1 hour. This is an important step. Otherwise, the cookies will spread too much while baking.
After the dough has chilled, heat your oven to 350°F.
Use a spring release scoop to get a consistent size cookie. My spring release scoop holds 1 tablespoon of dough.
Place a silicone baking mat on a sheet pan and place your cookie dough on it. Press the cookie with your palm or the bottom of a glass to about 1/2-inch thick.
For 1 tablespoon of dough, I baked the cookies for 12 minutes. Watch the cookies carefully, you want to look for the edges get slightly brown and the center of the cookie will turn from shiny to matte and be ‘set’.

HOW LONG WILL CHERRY SUGAR COOKIES LAST?

If you don’t frost your cookies, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days. You can keep them longer but they won’t be as soft.

Frosted cookies will need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and will stay fresh for 7 days.

As well, you can freeze the cookie dough for two months.

TOOLS USED FOR MAKING COOKIE RECIPE:

MORE HOLIDAY COOKIES

Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary based on the products used.