If you love Black Forest cake, you’re going to swoon over these Black Forest Dark Chocolate Cookies with Cherries. They’re rich, fudgy, and have the perfect amount of real cherry flavor. Dark chocolate cookies are topped with a creamy cherry frosting and finished with beautiful, sweet cherries and chocolate shavings. This easy recipe takes the timeless elegance of Black Forest cake and transforms it into a handheld treat that’s perfect for any time you want a show-stopping dessert without hours in the kitchen.
Here is what you will need to make these decadent Black Forest Cookies:
Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ Dark Chocolate Cake Mix: The rich, deep cocoa flavor of dark chocolate cake is the perfect base for these cookies.
Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese adds a chewiness to these cookies and helps add body to the cake mix. Tip: Let cream cheese sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes before mixing to avoid lumps.
Unsalted Butter: Provides richness and helps bind the dough. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content. Butter added to the frosting creates a buttercream texture that holds up beautifully to toppings.
Betty Crocker™ Whipped, Whipped Cream Frosting: As a base for the cherry frosting it helps create a light, creamy topping for the cookies. The whipped texture makes it easy to swirl with melted candy wafers and cherry syrup.
Egg: Large eggs at room temperature work best.
Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and enhances the chocolate flavor.
White Candy Melts: Vanilla candy melts (or wafers) melt smoothly and easily mix into the frosting. The wafers can seize if overheated. Microwaving in 15 second increments at 50% power helps prevent overheating. You can also use a double boiler.
Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar helps stabilize the frosting so it can hold up well to the garnishes.
Dark Sweet Cherries: Juicy, tart-sweet cherries balance the richness of the chocolate. Fresh cherries provide a bright, natural flavor. Cherries from the jar can be used, or, in a pinch, cherry pie filling works.
Jarred Cherry Syrup: The syrup adds color and flavor to the frosting.
Dark or Semisweet Chocolate Bar: Shaved chocolate adds a decorative, slightly bitter element that enhances the sweetness of the frosting and cherries.
Here is how to make these delicious and beautiful cookies. For full directions, follow the recipe below.
Lining a baking sheet with parchment paper makes for easy clean-up.
Beat softened cream cheese, butter, frosting, and vanilla until smooth then add the egg and beat until just combined. Finish by adding the cake mix and mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Chill the dough for 30 to 60 minutes.
Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12–15 minutes on the center rack, until edges are slightly crisp (they will look dryer than the centers) but centers are still pillowy and soft. Cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
Melt candy wafers in a microwavable bowl at 50% powder for 30 seconds, then at 15 second increments, stirring often, until smooth and completely melted. Beat the remaining frosting with softened butter, powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of cherry syrup from the jar to create a beautiful pink color. Add the melted candy wafers and beat again until smooth.
Spread frosting onto the cooled cookies by placing about 2 tablespoons of frosting in the center of the cookie and spreading it in a circular motion to create some swirls (the low places are perfect for holding syrup and chocolate shavings). Drizzle with a bit of cherry syrup and place a cherry on top, just off center. Finish with a chocolate shavings.
Use the tips below for storing your baked cookies.
Room Temperature
Because of the fresh fruit and butter in the frosting, these cookies are not recommended for storage at room temperature.
Refrigerator
Keep in a covered container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving.
Freezer
Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw, frost, and decorate before serving.
Serve these beautiful Black Forest Cookies arranged in a single layer on a large platter. Delicious with a cup of coffee or a glass of cold milk!
You can make these cookies ahead of time by baking and cooling the cookies, then storing them, unfrosted, in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. To freeze, lay the cookies out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours, then transfer to a zip top bag or another freezer safe container. This method helps keep them from sticking together in the freezer. Thaw completely before frosting.
If you love these cookies, you’ll also love our other cake mix cookie recipes. These birthday cake mix cookies are a fun variation to try. For another chocolate fix, try our cake mix fudge crinkle cookies.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer at medium speed to beat the softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, and a 1/2 cup of the frosting until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again until combined. Add the cake mix and beat on low until incorporated. Chill cookie dough in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes.
Heat oven to 350°F.
Drop scoops of cookie dough, about 2 tablespoons each, 2 inches apart on your parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake one sheet at a time for 12 to15 minutes or until the edges are slightly crisp and the center is just cooked through. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
While the cookies cool, beat the remaining 1/2 cup of the frosting with 1/2 cup softened butter, powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the cherry syrup from the jar. Melt the white vanilla wafers by microwaving at 50% power for 30 seconds, then increments of 15-20 seconds, stirring after each interval. Add the melted wafers to the cherry frosting. Beat until combined and smooth.
Using a spoon, spread 2 tablespoons of the frosting over each cookie, drizzle with a bit of cherry syrup, and place a fresh cherry, just off center. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the dark or semisweet chocolate and sprinkle over the frosted cookies.
Boozy Twist: Soak cherries in kirsch or cherry brandy for a grown-up version.
Extra Chocolatey: Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the dough.
If you can’t find fresh cherries, you can use the cherries from the jar with the syrup. Do not use frozen cherries.
