1-First Step: Mix the dry ingredients Start by whisking together the flour, Dutch processed cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. This helps the leavening and cocoa spread evenly through the dough, so you do not end up with bitter pockets or uneven cookies. Make sure there are no cocoa clumps left behind.

2-Second Step: Cream the butter and sugar In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed. This step adds air to the dough and gives the cookies a softer texture.

3-Third Step: Add the egg and vanilla Beat in the room temperature egg and vanilla extract until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed so everything blends evenly. Room temperature ingredients mix more smoothly, which helps the dough feel silky instead of lumpy.

4-Fourth Step: Combine wet and dry ingredients Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Stop mixing as soon as you no longer see dry flour. Overmixing can make the cookies tough, so keep it gentle here.

5-Fifth Step: Fold in the cherries and white chocolate chips Stir in the white chocolate chips and the finely chopped, squeezed-dry maraschino cherries. The dough will start to look like a true Black Forest Cookies batter at this point, with little streaks of cherry and chocolate throughout. If the dough feels a little sticky, that is normal.

6-Sixth Step: Chill the dough Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour. You can also chill it for up to 3 days if you want to bake later. Chilling helps the butter firm up, which means the cookies spread less and bake with better shape and texture.

7-Seventh Step: Shape and bake Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then scoop the dough into balls and place them a few inches apart. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look a little soft.

8-Eighth Step: Cool and serve Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This helps them finish setting without breaking apart. Once cool, serve them with milk, coffee, tea, or pack them into lunchboxes for a sweet treat later.