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Cheerful, charming, and downright irresistible, these cherry pie cookies are the ultimate treat for cherry lovers. Soft and slightly chewy with a golden brown glow, each cookie is kissed with a hint of vanilla and topped with a sweet, gooey cherry pie filling. They’re ridiculously easy to make—and even harder to stop eating! Whether you’re hosting a get-together, baking for the holidays, or just indulging your cherry obsession on a random Tuesday, these little bites of joy are always a good idea. Go ahead and make a double batch—you’ll thank yourself later!
Soft, buttery vanilla cookies are filled with a sweet cherry pie filling to make the kind of dessert that never fails to hit the spot. These thumbprint cookies are easy to make.
Also try cherry slab pie, cherry cheesecake egg rolls, pie iron cherry pie, blueberry pie cookies, and cherry cream cheese puff pastries.
Why You’ll Love It
Easy to make: Once you’ve combined the cookie dough ingredients and shaped them, all that’s left to do is add some cherry pie filling to each one and bake.
So delicious: Vanilla cookies with a sweet cherry pie filling are just so tasty!
Great for any occasion: These are simple enough to whip up as a treat for the family but also pretty enough to make for a special occasion.
Cherry Pie Cookie Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
All-purpose flour: For the cookie dough.
Salted butter: Bring it up to room temperature first for easier mixing.
Light brown sugar: For sweetness.
Vanilla extract: Adds a complementary flavor.
Baking powder and baking soda: To achieve a light, soft texture.
Cherry pie filling: Any brand will work.
How to Make Cherry Pie Cookies
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the cookie dough: Mix the sugar with the butter and then mix in the egg and vanilla. Whisk in the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
Chill the dough: Chill it for half an hour.
Shape the cookies: Divide the mixture into 12 cookie dough balls and flatten them, adding an indent in the middle of each one using your thumb. Fill each indentation with cherry pie filling.
Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven until golden brown. Let them cool completely before serving.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour instead of wheat flour.
Cherry pie filling: Although canned cherry pie filling is easier, you can use homemade cherry pie filling if you have a recipe you like.
Add white chocolate: Drizzle melted white chocolate on top and/or add some white chocolate chips to the cookie dough.
Vanilla extract: Almond extract would also work, and almond pairs well with cherries.
Light brown sugar: You can use a mixture of brown and white sugar if you prefer, although using only brown sugar makes them softer and chewier.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your meal with tomatoes and burrata salad.
Main dishes: Enjoy this Mediterranean ground chicken skillet or perhaps some Italian beef stew. Another option would be sheet pan lasagna with lemon parmesan salad.
Desserts: Serve these lovely cherry cookies for dessert.
How to Store Cherry Pie Cookie Cups
Store: You can store cherry pie filling cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.
Freeze: You can freeze these in an airtight container for up to a month.
Thaw: Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for an hour or so.
Top Tips
Use softened butter: Room temperature butter mixes in better than cold butter, so leave it on the counter for half an hour or so, until softened.
Don’t skip the chill: Chilling your cookie dough will help prevent the cookies from spreading more than they should.
Even-sized cookies: Each cookie dough ball should weight about 2 ounces (55 grams).
Separate to stack: If you need to stack the cookies, separate them with a layer of wax or parchment paper.
Cherry Cookies FAQs
They’re fine at room temperature although if you have any issues with humidity or pests, they can be refrigerated.
Sure, try peach pie filling, blueberry pie filling or strawberry pie filling. You could even try Nutella or peanut butter and jam.
Easy Cherry Pie Cookies Recipe
Cherry Pie Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet 9 x 13-Inch
Ingredients
- ½ Cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 Cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ Teaspoon baking soda
- ½ Teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ⅔ Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ Cups cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Combine the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer on a medium speed to cream the ingredients together for 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Continue whisking for 2 more minutes.
- Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Reduce the speed of the hand mixer to low and gently whisk the wet and dry ingredients together.
- Chill your cookie dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Divide the cookie dough into balls. Each ball should weigh roughly 2 ounces.
- Flatten the balls into discs and create an indent in the center of each cookie.
- Fill the center of each cookie with cherry pie filling.
- Bake up to 6 cookies at a time on a 9 x 13-inch cookie sheet for 12 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Don’t skip the chill: Chilling your cookie dough will help prevent the cookies from spreading more than they should.
Even-sized cookies: Each cookie dough ball should weight about 2 ounces (55 grams).
Separate to stack: If you need to stack the cookies, separate them with a layer of wax or parchment paper.
Nutrition
These cherry pie thumbprint cookies are soft, chewy and vanilla-flavored with a sweet cherry filling. Cherry pie cookies make a fun and cute dessert and they’re ideal for any occasion. If you’re a fan of cherries and you go weak at the knees for cherry pie, you just have to try these easy mini cherry pies for yourself!
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
These were an instant hit! They’re soft, chewy, and that cherry filling on top just makes them totally irresistible. I made a dozen, and they barely lasted a day.
I made them for a weekend get-together and they disappeared so fast. The gooey cherry center was my favorite part, and they were the perfect mix of chewy and soft.