Ready to make some delicious cookies? Let’s dive into the step-by-step process!

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures your cookies bake evenly and come out perfectly golden.

Step 2: Prepare Your Baking Sheets

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and help them bake evenly.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of softened unsalted butter, 1 cup of brown sugar, and ½ cup of granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy—about 2-3 minutes. This step is crucial for incorporating air into the mixture, which leads to fluffy cookies.

Step 4: Add the Eggs and Vanilla

Next, add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the bowl. Beat the mixture on low speed until everything is combined. You want to ensure that the eggs are fully incorporated without overmixing.

Step 5: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt. This helps evenly distribute the baking soda and salt throughout the flour.

Step 6: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed. Stop mixing as soon as you see no more flour streaks—overmixing can lead to tough cookies.

Step 7: Fold in Chocolate Chips and Cherries

Using a spatula, gently fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup of chopped cherries. This is where the fun begins! You want to distribute them evenly without crushing the cherries too much.

Step 8: Scoop the Dough

Using a cookie scoop or two tablespoons, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 2 inches between each cookie, as they will spread while baking.

Step 9: Bake the Cookies

Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look a bit underbaked, but that’s perfect! They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.

Step 10: Cool and Enjoy

Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. This cooling time helps the cookies set up nicely.