Chocolate Cherry Thumbprints Cookies

4.50 from 4 votes

These Chocolate Cherry Thumbprints Cookies are an impressive but easy cookie for the holidays! Perfect for cookie trays.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Chilling Time1

Total Time1 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Author: Jamie Sherman

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided 12 ounces
1 ¾ cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
⅔ cup butter, softened 10 2/3 tablespoons or 1 stick plus 2 2/3 tablespoons
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry, stems removed and discarded two 10-oz. jars

Microwave 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave in additional 10-20 second increments, stirring until smooth. Allow the chocolate to cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate. Stir in the oat mixture. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2-inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press deep centers into each cookie using your thumb. Place a cherry into each center.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Let the cookies stand on cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Melt the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips as mentioned above. Drizzle the chocolate over the cooled cookies.

Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can also use green Maraschino cherries! They are harder to find but would work just fine in this recipe. Note that the green cherries are sometimes flavored with lime or mint, although they can be the same flavor as the regular red maraschino cherries!