Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ½ cup white granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice from jar
• Pink gel food coloring
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to mix the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
4. Lower electric mixer speed to low. Add the cherry juice and pink gel coloring and mix until fully distributed. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt until fully combined.
6. Add 1 ½ cup of the flour mixture to the large bowl and mix on low speed until well mixed. The dough should be slightly sticky from the cherry syrup, but easy enough to handle to roll dough balls. Add up to an additional ½ cup of flour if needed to be able to handle the dough.
7. Use a spoon or spatula to stir in the chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
8. Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, form dough balls and place on a prepared baking sheet.
9. Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are opaque and the edges begin to turn golden brown.
10. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.