Pomegranate Chocolate Chunk Cookies
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By Alyssa Rivers
on Dec 21, 2022 |
Pomegranate chocolate chunk cookies are the BEST cookies you will ever make! The pomegranate is tangy, like cranberry, with a hint of sweetness at the end. The burst of flavor when you bite into this cookie will have you coming back for seconds!
I love a good cookie. I’m a little obsessed with winter baking because it just makes the home smell so good! And it’s the one time of year when you actually want the oven to warm up the house! If you love cookie baking in the winter time, you HAVE to try these perfect-for-Christmas Grinch cookies, these gooey and delicious Butter Cookies, and these melt in your mouth Peppermint Meltaways.
Pomegranate Cookie Recipe
It’s no secret that I love cookies! It was one of the first things I learned how to make (probably like most of you), and they have always hit the spot. I especially love cookies during the holiday season, like these almond cookies and these Italian Christmas cookies. They are so easy to share, and everyone loves having a delicious cookie for Christmas!
If you have ever had a cranberry cookie, this pomegranate chocolate chunk cookie is kind of like that! Cranberries and pomegranates are similar because they are tangy and have a little sweetness at the end. I am a huge fan of cranberries, but it’s fun to switch it up! Pomegranates are so fun to eat in so many different ways. I bet you haven’t tried them in a cookie yet. They are a must-try!
Ingredients in Pomegranate Cookies
You will need the same ingredients as any cookie recipe, but for this pomegranate cookie, you will also need, well, pomegranates, of course! I also added cream cheese to the recipe, which I think you will love! You can find the exact measurements below in the recipe card.
- Butter: You will want to use unsalted butter and make sure to leave it out for a few hours before you plan on making the cookies so it is nice and soft.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is SO good in cookies. If you haven’t tried a cookie with cream cheese in it, you are in for a treat. It’s tangy and creamy and gives this cookie great texture and flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Your pantry sugar will work great.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is great in cookies like this because it has molasses in it. Molasses has a nice rich flavor and gives a deeper flavor than just granulated sugar by itself.
- Egg: I always use large grade-A eggs in my recipes.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract adds flavor to the dough and helps to bring out all the other delicious flavors in the cookie.
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is the easiest to work with and will be the best option for this cookie.
- Salt: Salt brings out the flavor.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda will help the cookies fluff up when baking.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder also helps these pomegranate cookies to rise.
- Semi-Sweet Baker’s Chocolate: You could use chocolate chips too.
- Pomegranate Arils: You will need to buy a pomegranate from the store and get all the seeds (arils) out. See my tip below for how to easily remove the seeds!
How to Make Pomegranate Cookies
This pomegranate cookie recipe is really similar to a chocolate chip cookie. The main difference is the pomegranates and adding chunks of chocolate instead of chips. You will love how these cookies taste; they are perfect for holiday get-togethers!
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop the chocolate and prepare your pomegranate seeds (arils) by removing them from the fruit and set them aside.
- Beat: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and cream cheese together until it is light and well mixed. Add in your sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in your egg and vanilla and beat an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until well combined. With your mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, ¼ cup at a time, until just combined.
- Fold and Bake: Fold in the chocolate and pomegranate until evenly distributed. Scoop about 2 tablespoon size rounds of dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving a 2-inch space between each one. Bake for 12-15 minutes, the cookies should be lightly golden all around, remove from oven and let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
- Cool: Allow the pomegranate cookies to cool for at least 15 minutes and enjoy!
Tips for Baking Pomegranate Cookies
These cookies are really similar to a chocolate chip cookie, which I bet you have made before! Here are a few simple tips that I think you will find helpful when you go to make these pomegranate chocolate chunk cookies.
- Use Different Chocolate: You can use milk or dark chocolate instead of semisweet chocolate chunks. You could even try white chocolate chips or… you could use all of them! I’ve never had a cookie with too much chocolate in it!
- Removing Pomegranate Seeds: There is a great trick to remove all white spongy flesh. While you are taking out all the seeds, have your pomegranate underwater in a bowl. All of the white stuff will float to the top, where you can easily scoop it out, and all of the seeds will sink to the bottom! I have also heard that if you cut the pomegranate in half and hold it facing downward in a bowl, you can use a spoon to whack the seeds out. You have to hit it pretty hard!
- Oven Time and Temperature: Everyone’s cookies will be a little different when it comes to baking in the oven. The oven temperatures can vary depending on what kind of oven you have. Your elevation and humidity can also change how the cookies bake. So I would just keep an eye on them while they are in the oven, and once the edges start to brown, they are done!
Storing Leftovers
These pomegranate cookies taste best fresh, but they can last up to a week. You could also freeze them and save them for later! The dough also freezes well, so this recipe is great for anytime you are in the mood.
- On the Counter: You can store your cookies for up to a week on the counter stored in an airtight container.
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Preheat oven to 375° fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Chop the chocolate and prepare your pomegranate seeds (arils) by removing them from the fruit, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and cream cheese together until it is light and well mixed. Add in your sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in your egg and vanilla and beat an additional 1-2 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until well combined. With your mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the butter mixture ¼ cup at a time until just combined.
Fold in the chocolate and pomegranate until evenly distributed. Scoop about 2 tablespoon size rounds of dough onto the parchment lined baking sheets, leaving a 2 inch space between each one. Bake for 12-15 minutes, the cookies should be lightly golden all around, remove from oven and let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
Allow the cookies to cool for at least 15 minutes and enjoy!
Calories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 100mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 121IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.