These cherry cream cheese cookies are soft, melt in your mouth cookies, rolled in chopped walnuts and topped with a maraschino cherry. My family makes these festive cookies every year at Christmas!
These Cream Cheese Cookies are a Holiday Favorite
This cherry cream cheese cookies recipe has been passed down in my family for generations. I love that I get to share this recipe with you, and that so many of you have come to love these cookies as well!
A few simple ingredients make these cream cheese cookies extra special. We use a combination of cream cheese and butter in the cookie dough, for richness and a subtle tangy flavor. The cookies bake up soft, and the maraschino cherries add a pop of color and a bite of sweetness to each cookie. A bit of almond extract complements the cherry flavor.
My mom has the original copy of this recipe, handwritten on a recipe card by my great-grandmother. Seeing this recipe card is like listening to a story told by my great-grandma. It’s the type of old-fashioned recipe that’s not too specific, saying things like “nuts,” but not specifying which kind. We’ve always rolled these cookies in chopped walnuts but pecans would be delicious as well. I’ve stayed true to the original recipe except to swap the shortening out for butter. I just love the flavor that real butter adds to these cookies.
Ingredient Notes
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- Butter: Let it soften to room temperature before beginning.
- Cream Cheese: Use brick-style cream cheese, and let it soften to room temperature.
- Granulated Sugar: To sweeten the cookies.
- Egg: You’ll need one large egg.
- Almond Extract: It adds a subtle sweetness and warmth that complements the cherry flavor. I love the almond flavor in these cookies, but you can substitute vanilla extract if needed.
- All-Purpose Flour: Measure it using the spoon and level method: Fluff the flour in your container, then lightly spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off.
- Salt: Brings out all of the flavors.
- Baking Soda: Makes the cookies puff up slightly as they bake.
- Walnuts: Be sure to chop them finely. I use a food processor to get a fine, even chop.
- Maraschino Cherries: Cut them in half and add half a cherry on top of each cookie.
How to Make Cherry Cream Cheese Cookies
Plus my best tips for making them!
- Make Cookie Dough: Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Add the granulated sugar, egg and almond extract and mix until well combined. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed until combined.
- Chill Cookie Dough: Cover the bowl or wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours. This helps to firm up the dough for rolling the cookie dough balls.
- Roll and Bake: Use your hands to shape the dough into 1-inch balls. I find the cookies turn out best when the dough balls are small. Roll each ball in the chopped walnuts and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Press a half cherry into each cookie. Bake at 350° F for 9-12 minutes, until barely set and lightly golden on the bottom. Be careful not to over-bake the cookies.
Recipe Variations
- Many readers have asked how to make these cookies nut-free. Instead of rolling the dough balls in chopped nuts, you can roll them in crushed graham crackers. One reader even rolled the dough balls in sprinkles!
- If you can’t find maraschino cherries (or prefer not to use them) you can add jam to the center of these cream cheese cookies instead, just like Thumbprint Cookies. Use the back of a round teaspoon measuring spoon to press a well into each cookie (the dough balls will also flatten some as you make the wells). Spoon ½ teaspoon of jam into each cookie well.
More Favorite Christmas Cookies
Here are a few more classic Christmas cookies that I love to bake with my family every year:
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Cherry Cream Cheese Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 ounces brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, for rolling
- Maraschino cherries, halved
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together until creamy. Add the granulated sugar, egg and almond extract and mix until well combined.1 cup unsalted butter, 3 ounces brick-style cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon almond extract
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed until combined.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- Cover the mixing bowl and chill dough for at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. (Cookies turn out best when the dough balls are small.) Roll each ball in the chopped walnuts and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press a half cherry into each cookie.1 cup finely chopped walnuts, Maraschino cherries
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, until barely set and lightly golden on the bottom. Be careful not to over-bake.
Notes
- To Store: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Almond Extract: I love the almond flavor in these cookies, but you can substitute vanilla extract if needed.
- To make these cookies nut-free: Instead of rolling the dough balls in chopped nuts, you can roll them in crushed graham crackers. One reader even rolled the dough balls in sprinkles!
- If you can’t find maraschino cherries (or prefer not to use them) you can add jam to the center of these cream cheese cookies instead, just like Thumbprint Cookies. Use the back of a round teaspoon measuring spoon to press a well into each cookie (the dough balls will also flatten some as you make the wells). Spoon ½ teaspoon of jam into each cookie well.
I originally shared this recipe in December 2010. Updated December 2015 and November 2025 with new photos, a step-by-step recipe video, and more helpful tips.
I’m sure your son loved helping with these cookies! Your pictures are just gorgeous, too. I love the combination of cherries and cream cheese. What a fun and festive cookie, Kristine!
Thank you so much, Gayle! I love that he loves to help me in the kitchen. 🙂
I think I’m going to try these for Christmas, but I’m going to use Graham cracker crumbs then nuts. I’m not a fan. I think this will be a good addition to the pies my husband will probably make.
The graham cracker crumbs are such a great idea! What a delicious nut-free option. I hope you love these cookies as much as my family does, Joy! Merry Christmas!
Family recipes are the best – especially when they’re for melt in your mouth cookies 🙂 these look amazingly delicious!
I completely agree! Thanks, Rachel!
There’s just no beating a grandma’s recipes! I have so many tattered and torn recipes on notecards that pretty much look exactly like that—absolutely the best kind of recipes for sure. 😉 I cannot even wait to try these cookies! I love their size and the cherry in the middle is so cute!
Thanks, friend! Those old recipe cards are priceless!
Awww so cute. And good that William’s paper airplane was fine! Hahaha! Kids 🙂 These cookies are so pretty, Kristine! We haven’t really mad had enough time as a family to call anything a holiday tradition so far, but I’m excited to see what’s going to stick 🙂
Thank you, Nora! Creating new traditions is so much fun!
These are so pretty and festive!! And I’m obsessed with anything almond-flavored so they sound awesome. Family recipes are just the best!
Thank you, Jess! I love adding almond extract to baked goods!
Cherries are one of my favorite addition to cookies so I can’t wait to sink my teeth into these! 🙂
Thanks, Pamela!
William sounds like my youngest when he was that age, and to this day he still likes to help me in the kitchen (my oldest not so much)! What a sweet story, and I love all the tradition behind this recipe. And those handwritten recipe cards are SO special! These cookies look so delicious, Kristine. 🙂
Thank you so much for your sweet words, Marcie! I hope William will still like to help me in the kitchen as he gets older!
When you say small..hiw small? Thanks
Hi Veronica, I roll mine about 1 inch wide.
Cream cheese today comes in 8 oz. packages. Do you just use half a package? Or do you actually weigh out 3 oz.?
Most packages of cream cheese have markings in 1 ounce increments on the package, making it easy to cut off a 3 ounce portion. If yours doesn’t have those markings, I’d recommend marking it halfway, and then using 3/4 of a half package. That will be 3 ounces out of the 8. 🙂
I used 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening and followed everything else to a T. These cookies are delicious! My husband took them to work and a coworker asked to take some home to her husband! (yea, right!) Great recipe! Its a keeper!
I’m so glad that you, your husband, and his coworkers enjoyed these cookies! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. 🙂
What can be used instead of cherries? The main recipe sound fabulous, as I am a huge fan of anything cream cheese! Cherries, on the other hand, not so much! My brain is cooked from holiday baking and I just am out of ideas, but I’ve got to try this somehow.
I bet jam would be delicious! Before baking, make a small indentation in the center of each cookie and spoon in a little bit of your favorite jam. Let me know how they turn out. 😉
Do you use salted or unsalted butter? I’m very excited to make these for cookie trays. Thanks so much!
I use unsalted butter. Enjoy!
Do you think these cookies would freeze well?
I’ve never tried freezing these, but I think they would. Let me know if you try.
I’m making them right now….and boy I can’t wait to taste them ?
I hope you love them!
Kristine, I have been baking cookies for 40+ years and these are a wnner! The dough is so easy and versatile! I followed your recipe and on the last batch dipped in sprinkles for my grandkids who only like peanut butter but not regular nuts. Will add this to my cookie faves and used the dough recipe for other variations. Thanks and have a great Christmas!
Hi Jackie, Thank you for trying this recipe and for letting me know how it turned out! That is a good idea to use sprinkles for the kids! Merry Christmas!
Looks beautiful. Do theses taste like thumbprint cookies.
Are they soft or crumbly Thanks!
Pearse
No, these don’t taste like thumbprint cookies. They are soft, not crumbly. They’re delicious!
I found this recipe on Pinterest about 2 or 3 years ago and have been using it ever since. I have made it following the recipe exactly, sometimes I leave out the cherries (for my kids) and just press the center down, and I have also rolled them in graham crackers instead of nuts (tastes like a cheesecake in cookie form)! They have always turned out delicious and I always get asked for the recipe! This is seriously the yummiest and most versatile cookie ever!
The graham crackers are a great idea! I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
I made this recipe today, it’s wonderful! It will most definitely be a new favorite at my house! Can you tell me if it needs refrigeration or are they okay to store in an airtight container on the counter?
Thank you again!
Hi Robin, I am so glad that you love them! I always store these in an airtight container on the counter. I find that they stay fresh for about a week. Enjoy!
Can you freeze these?
Yes, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Have you ever tried candied cherries in this recipe? I bought them
then re-read the Ingredients and realized you used maraschino cherries.
I also was thinking of rolling them in unsweetened ground coconut, since I have a tree nut allergy, but the graham cracker nut free option sounds like a good one too. Will let you know how they work out. Thanks for sharing you family recipe. Lynne
I haven’t tried using candied cherries. I hope you enjoy the cookies!
I love these cookies! And everyone who tries them just love them! Thank you so much for the awesome recipe, I dont like cherries so I put diced strawberries or blueberries, they come out great! I wanted to ask you, for how long can I store the dough in the fridge before baking them? Thanks a lot! Greetings from Chile!
I’m so glad you love these cookies! You can store the dough for up to 48 hours in the fridge before baking.
Thank You so much for you quick reply!
How long does these cookies keep for?
They will keep for about a week at room temperature. You can freeze them for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
I’ll be sure to try these, if only because the handwriting on that recipe card looks precisely like my Grandmother’s! I have many of her recipes that I use each year, mostly during the holiday season. Thanks!
I hope you enjoy them! Those family recipe cards are priceless!
I make this recipe every Christmas since I found your page! These are so delicious and festive!
I love that you have your Great-Grandmother’s handwritten recipe!! I treasure my Mother’s notes and my Dad’s grocery list ;).
Oh wow!!!!! The recipe cards look just like my grandmas handwriting. I have recipes from her and cherish them also. These cookies look so pretty. Sound yummy.
I just made these cookies and as I was I remembered my mother used to make them and how much I loved them. They are fantastic and it brings back great memories. Thank you for sharing the recipe with us!
I am so eager to try this version and understand the appeal of crisco, however I would really prefer to use butter…. have you tested them with butter instead? Love maraschino cherries and they always look great on a cookie tray!
Hi Megan,
I think you are looking at the photo of my great-grandmother’s handwritten recipe (which called for shortening). Click the “Jump to recipe” button at the top of the post (or scroll down farther) and you will find the recipe card with my recipe, which calls for butter. I don’t bake with shortening. I hope you give my recipe a try – it’s a favorite! 🙂
I can’t wait to start baking the cream cheese cherry cookies