I have tried many different chocolate chip cookie recipes over the year in efforts to find the perfect recipe.  There are some really amazing “classic” recipes for this popular cookie, but when I found this one, I knew it was going to be my new favorite.  As a child, people used to actually give me huge Costco sized jars of maraschino cherries for my birthdays because I loved them so much.  Add maraschino cherries to a chocolate chip cookie….yep, pretty much amazing!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

10 oz. jar maraschino cherries

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. reserved cherry juice

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Drain the jar of cherries, but make sure to reserve 3 tablespoons of the juice.  Chop the cherries and set aside.  

Cream butter and shortening, add sugars and beat until fluffy.  Add vanilla, cherry juice and eggs.  Mix well.  Add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Mix until combined.  Add chopped cherries and chocolate chips, mix until combined.

Drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes at 350, or until the edges begin to brown slightly.  Enjoy!