If you’ve spotted the new M&S Dark Chocolate & Cherry Chunky Cookies and wished you could make them at home, this recipe is for you – plus it’s gluten and dairy free too. Inspired by the latest bakery favourite, these gluten and dairy free cookies are thick, chunky and packed with rich dark chocolate and juicy cherries for the ultimate bakery style treat.
With crisp edges, soft, gooey centres and plenty of chocolate in every bite, you’d never guess these cookies are free from gluten and dairy. They’re easy to make, perfect for sharing and guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate craving. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or simply fancy an indulgent afternoon treat, these cookies deliver all the flavour and texture of the original, without the gluten or dairy. If you do make this recipe I’d love to see, don’t forget to tag me in your photos over on social media!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will these cookies last?
These cookies will last in an airtight container for up to 3 days however, are always best served on the day you make them.
Which dairy free chocolate do you use in the cookies?
For this recipe I used half dark chocolate (I went for the M&S own brand dark chocolate) and half dairy free milk chocolate – my favourites are Moo Free Milk Chocolate Bars and Nomo Milk Chocolate bars but you can use any dairy free chocolate of your choosing.
Which cherries did you use?
I prefer to use dried cherries instead of fresh cherries as the cookies last longer, and it gives a really lovely chewy cherry flavour. I used the M&S Dried Cherries.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
This cookie dough recipe is suitable for freezing. Just freeze the dough in balls and cook from frozen for a few minutes longer than the recipe states.
Which butter do you use for the cookies?
I use the Stork ‘perfect for baking’ 250g gold packet butter which is naturally dairy free and available in most major UK supermarkets. If you can’t get hold of this butter, it’s always best to use a hard dairy free butter block instead of a soft spread for the perfect cookie texture.
Dark Chocolate and Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
- 180 g dairy free butter block *See FAQs
- 180 g light brown sugar
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 340 g gluten free plain flour
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already contains this)
- 35 g cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon cornflour (Note, this is cornstarch in the US)
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (Note, this is baking soda in the US)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 100 g dairy free dark chocolate chunks
- 100 g dairy free milk chocolate chunks (plus extra for drizzling)
- 150 g dried cherries
Instructions
- To a large bowl add dairy free butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar and whisk with an electric whisk until creamy.
- Add the eggs and continue to whisk. Add the vanilla extract and whisk again.
- Add the gluten free flour, xanthan gum, cocoa powder, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix well to form a dough.
- Mix in the dairy free chocolate and cherries. Place into the fridge for atleast an hour to chill.
- Whilst the dough chills preheat your oven to 180°C and line 3 large baking trays with baking paper.
- Take your dough out of the fridge and roll into 10 balls. I tend to weigh mine (around 120g per ball – they are big!) to make sure they are all the same size.
- Spread the cookie balls out on the baking trays and flatten very slightly. The cookies will spread as they cook, so ensure to leave plenty of room around each cookie.
- Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and leave to cool. The cookies will continue to cook and firm up once they are out the oven and cool. Drizzle with extra dairy free chocolate and leave to set.
I absolutely love seeing what you’ve created, so if you do make this recipe (or any other recipe from my website) don’t forget to tag me over on my social media pages @glutenfreealice and use the hashtag #glutenfreealice
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