These Oatmeal Cherry Cookies are bursting with flavor, loaded with tart dried cherries, rich dark chocolate, sweet coconut, and crunchy pecans. With a perfect balance of sweetness and tang, a crisp golden edge, and a soft, chewy center, they're downright irresistible. I used to be skeptical about cherries in cookies-but after one bite, these quickly became a family favorite.
Why I Love This
- Tart and Sweet: Biting into one of these cookies is a delightful surprise every time. The sweetness of the cookie contrasted with the sharp tartness of the cherries is a mouthwatering experience - and will keep you from being able to eat just one!
- Freezer Friendly: These oatmeal cherry cookies freeze perfectly! It's so easy to whip up a double batch so you have plenty for now and later, and you'll never know they had been frozen after thawing them.
- Seasonal Flavors: The sharp tang of the cherries bursts of summer fruits, fall harvests and festive flavors making these the best cookies all year long. The perfect seasonal cookie, every season.
Needing something a little more refined for a dessert option? Try my Hot Fudge Pudding Cake to satisfy your chocolate cravings or my Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp for a gluten free summer treat!
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Ingredients
- Butter - unsalted butter is always my preference so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Brown Sugar - this makes up the majority of the sugar used in the cookies to give a wonderful caramel flavor and to help keep them soft and chewy.
- Granulated Sugar - a little white sugar helps give the sweetness we desire in a cookie and adds a touch of structure.
- Eggs - the binding agent that keeps the cookies from falling apart and helps give a little rise to the batter.
- Buttermilk - keeps the cookies full of flavor and tender.
- Vanilla and Almond Extract - these both add delicate flavor that help balance the bold tastes of the cherries and chocolate.
- Flour - the primary base of the cookie.
- Oatmeal - adding a touch of oatmeal helps give it more structure and texture.
- Baking Powder and Soda - both rising agents are used to keep the cookies light and tender.
- Salt - for flavor and rise.
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut - brings all the wonderful things to our cookies - texture, flavor and structure.
- Chopped Pecans - raw and unsalted are the best for these oatmeal cherry cookies.
- Tart Dried Cherries - tart dried cherries, such as tart Montmorency (found at Costco) over sweet dried cherries are preferable.
- Dark Chocolate Chips - you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips if that is what you have but I find the dark chocolate balances the cherries and the sweet batter nicely.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Step 1: In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and extracts. Mix until well combined.
Step 2: Add the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
Step 3: Stir in the coconut, nuts, dried cherries, and chocolate chips on low speed until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Step 4: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough using a trigger ice cream scoop or spoon. If needed, roll into a ball with your hands. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate the sheet for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Bake at 400°F for 10-11 minutes, until golden brown. The centers will look soft-this is normal. Do not overbake.
Step 6: Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy!
Hint: Do not skip refrigerating the cookie dough. It is incredibly soft and difficult to work with at room temperature. The second refrigeration time is to help the cookies hold their shape. This time is particularly important if you are placing them on warm cookie sheet that has already been in the oven.
Substitutions
- Dairy - you can swap the butter for your favorite dairy-free alternative. For a buttermilk substitute, use soy, oat, or almond milk with a splash of vinegar-let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Gluten - use 1 to 1 gluten free flour, such as Bob's Red Mill, and gluten free oats for a successful gluten free treat!
- "Homemade" Buttermilk - to make your own buttermilk, simply place 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice in your milk and let stand 5 minutes.
Variations
- Oat Free - if you don't have oats or would just rather not use them, omit the oats and add 1 extra cup of flour.
- Dried Fruit - instead of using dried cherries you can use craisins (dried cranberries) as a great alternative. Raisins or dried blueberries could also be good alternatives but won't have the same tart profile which will change the dynamic of the cookies substantially, making them quite sweet.
For another summer time treat or a fresh taste in the blues of winter, try my Rhubarb Peach Crisp that can be made from fresh or frozen fruit!
Equipment
Using a stand mixer is incredibly helpful in making these oatmeal cherry cookies. A Bosch or KitchenAid work very well. Using a hand mixer can work for combining the butter and sugars but will likely get overworked once all the flour and fillings are added as the batter becomes quite heavy at that point.
Lining you cookie sheet with parchment paper is a great way to save on clean up and eliminate sugars from baking onto your pan which can be so difficult to scrub off.
Storage
The first few days: The oatmeal cherry cookies can be stored on the counter in an airtight container or bag for up to four days.
Freezing: These cookies freeze amazingly well and I would recommend freezing some the day they are made if you are not going to eat them all within a few days. Freezing them sooner means they will taster fresher once thawed. Simply freeze the cookies in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating: To thaw the cookies, simply leave them on the counter in their container or bag until thawed. Enjoy!
Top Tip
To keep your hands from getting sticky while shaping these oatmeal cherry cookies, I recommend using an ice cream scoop-ideally a trigger-style scoop (also called a disher or spring-release). To prevent the dough from sticking or building up in the scoop, keep a cup of hot water nearby. Dip the scoop in the water between portions to help the dough release easily.
FAQ
I buy mine at Costco as whole dried cherries and then chop them prior to putting them in the cookies. You could also look online.
I have never tried either of these but I would not recommend them. The dough is already quite soft and adding a wet fruit would likely create a very flat and crisp cookie.
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Print
Oatmeal Cherry Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 3 Dozen 1x
Description
These Oatmeal Cherry Cookies are bursting with flavor, loaded with tart dried cherries, rich dark chocolate, sweet coconut, and crunchy pecans. With a perfect balance of sweetness and tang, a crisp golden edge, and a soft, chewy center, they're downright irresistible
Ingredients
½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter softened
1 ¼ cups (240 grams) brown sugar lightly packed
¼ cup (55 grams) granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 yolk*
¼ cup (60 milliliters) buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 ½ cups (~190 grams) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (80 grams) oats
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (45 grams) shredded unsweetened coconut
¾ cup (90 grams) pecans chopped
7 ounces (200 grams) dried tart cherries chopped
1 cup (185 grams) dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and extracts. Mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Stir in the coconut, nuts, dried cherries, and chocolate chips on low speed until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough using a trigger ice cream scoop or spoon. If needed, roll into a ball with your hands.* Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate the sheet for 10 minutes.
- Bake at 400°F for 10-11 minutes, until golden brown. The centers will look soft-this is normal. Do not overbake.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy!
*All nutritional information is an estimation only. Exact nutritional value depends on exact amounts and ingredients used.
Notes
Eggs - if doubling, simply use 3 eggs.
4. Use a trigger ice cream scoop (disher) to shape cookies without sticky hands. Dip it in hot water between scoops for easy release.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling Time: 70 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Jenice Wallace says
When my husband first asked for these cookies I thought he was a little crazy - cherries in cookies??? But they are now my new go-to favorite cookie to bake and eat! Loaded with flavor and chewy goodness, they are truly irresistible for all ages.