Buttery sugar cookies stuffed with chocolate stars and topped with candied cherries ready in 25 minutes.
In Austin, we love a good secret, especially when it comes to desserts. These Cherry Surprise Cookies are a classic throwback recipe that often appears on my holiday cookie trays alongside the more complex pecans and pralines. They look like a simple thumbprint cookie from the outside, but one bite reveals a melted chocolate star hidden inside the buttery dough. It is a delightful contrast of textures-the snap of the candy coating, the soft cookie, and the chewy sweetness of the candied cherry on top. This recipe is a fantastic way to utilize a batch of basic sugar cookie dough and transform it into something that feels special and nostalgic.
The success of the "surprise" depends entirely on how well you seal the dough. You must ensure the cookie dough completely encapsulates the chocolate star or kiss with no gaps. If there is even a small hole, the chocolate will leak out onto the baking sheet, ruining the surprise and creating a burnt mess.
The Sweetest Holiday Secret
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Hidden Center: The surprise chocolate filling creates a molten center when warm and a satisfying bite when cool.
- Retro Charm: The combination of candied cherries and chocolate stars feels delightfully vintage.
- Kid-Friendly: Wrapping the dough around the chocolate is like playing with clay, making this a perfect baking project for children.
- Versatile: You can use any sturdy basic cookie dough, whether homemade sugar cookie dough or a high-quality store-bought version.
Ingredients
To build these stuffed cookies, you need three simple components.
- Basic Cookie Dough: 2 cups. You need a sturdy dough that doesn't spread too much. A standard butter cookie or sugar cookie dough works best. If using store-bought, avoid the "tub" dough which is too soft; use the refrigerated log or "break and bake" style.
- Chocolate: 36 chocolate stars or chocolate kisses. Chocolate stars (often Brach's) are traditional and hold their shape well, but Hershey's Kisses work perfectly fine and offer a slightly gooier center.
- Candied Cherries: 36 halves. These are the sticky, sweet glacé cherries sold in tubs during the holidays, not jarred maraschino cherries in liquid.
How to Make Cherry Surprise Cookies
Prep the Station
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Greasing the baking sheets is recommended for these cookies to ensure easy removal, even if your dough has plenty of butter. If using chocolate kisses, unwrap all of them before you start handling the dough to keep your hands clean.
Wrap the Chocolate
Scoop a teaspoonful of the basic cookie dough. Press a chocolate star or kiss into the center of the dough. Carefully work the dough up and over the chocolate, rolling it between your palms to form a smooth ball. Ensure the chocolate is completely hidden and the seam is sealed tight.
Top and Bake
Place the filled dough balls 2 inches apart on the greased baking sheets. Take a candied cherry half and press it gently onto the top of each ball. Do not press too hard, or you might rupture the dough and expose the chocolate.
Bake and Cool
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. You are looking for the bottoms to be lightly browned and the dough to look set. The tops should remain relatively pale. Remove the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. The chocolate inside will remain hot for a while, so be careful taking that first bite!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Thin Dough Layer: If the layer of dough around the chocolate is too thin, it will melt away during baking. Use enough dough to create a sturdy wall around the candy.
- Using Wet Cherries: Do not substitute jarred maraschino cherries. They contain too much moisture and will make the top of the cookie soggy. Stick to candied glacé cherries.
- Overbaking: Because the chocolate is already cooked, you only need to bake the dough. Overbaking will result in a dry, crumbly cookie and potentially scorched chocolate inside.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Chilled Dough: If your basic cookie dough is sticky or hard to handle, chill it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before shaping. Cold dough is easier to wrap around the chocolate.
- Color Coding: Use red candied cherries for milk chocolate centers and green candied cherries for dark chocolate centers to help guests choose their favorite.
- Parchment Paper: While the recipe calls for greased sheets, I always prefer parchment paper. It guarantees zero sticking and makes cleanup instant.
Variations
- Mint Surprise: Use a mint chocolate kiss or a chocolate mint star for a refreshing holiday flavor profile.
- Nutty Top: If you aren't a fan of candied fruit, press a pecan half or a walnut half into the top of the cookie instead of the cherry.
- Snowy Finish: Roll the filled dough ball in granulated sugar before pressing the cherry on top for a sparkling, crunchy exterior.
How to Serve
These cookies are best served slightly warm when the chocolate center is soft, but they are also delicious at room temperature. They are sturdy enough to be stacked in a cookie jar or packed in a holiday tin.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Room Temperature: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Prep Ahead: You can shape the cookies (dough wrapped around chocolate) and freeze the raw balls. Bake from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.
Recipe Notes / What I Learned
During testing, I found that chocolate stars tend to keep the cookie shape a bit flatter, while chocolate kisses create a slightly taller, dome-shaped cookie. Both are delicious, but the shape will vary slightly depending on your candy choice.
Nutrition Snapshot
One cookie contains approximately 90 calories, 4g fat, and 12g carbohydrates (depending on the specific dough used).
Cherry Surprise Cookies
Equipment
- Greased baking sheets
- Teaspoon for dropping dough
- Wire racks
Ingredients
Group: Ingredients
- 2 cups Basic Cookie Dough
- 36 chocolate stars or chocolate kisses
- 36 candied cherry halves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets.
- Top each with a chocolate star and wrap dough around it. Top each with a candied cherry half.
- Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
What is "Basic Cookie Dough"?
This refers to a standard sugar cookie or butter cookie recipe-flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and baking powder. You can use your favorite family recipe or a store-bought sugar cookie dough.
Why did my chocolate leak out?
This usually happens if the dough wasn't sealed tightly enough or if there was an air pocket next to the chocolate. Roll the ball firmly to remove air gaps.
Can I use peanut butter cups?
Yes! Mini peanut butter cups make a fantastic substitute for the chocolate stars if you want a chocolate-peanut butter version.
