Cherry Winks are exactly the kind of old-fashioned Christmas cookie I love finding because they don't really look like anything people bake now.
The dough is packed with dates, pecans, and cherries, then each cookie is rolled in crushed corn flakes and topped with a bright cherry piece. The result is soft and chunky inside with a crisp cereal coating.
I based this batch on the classic Pillsbury Cherry Winks recipe, but I used candied cherries instead of maraschino cherries. They are much drier, so they introduced less moisture into the dough and worked better for me.
About My Vintage Recipe Project
This recipe is part of my ongoing project documenting and baking vintage American recipes. Some come from my family; others come from old cookbooks, clippings, and classic recipes baked in American kitchens for decades.
Cherry Winks belong to that second group. I keep these recipes close to their original form, and the main change here is using candied cherries for a drier, easier-to-handle dough. Browse the rest of my Vintage Recipes collection.
What Are Cherry Winks?
Cherry Winks are vintage drop cookies made with a shortening-based dough filled with chopped dates, pecans, and cherries. Each spoonful is rolled in coarsely crushed corn flakes before baking, then topped with a cherry quarter.
Why You'll Love These Vintage Cherry Winks
- Lots of texture: soft cookie, chewy dates, crunchy pecans, and crisp corn flakes.
- Classic Christmas look: the red candied cherry makes them instantly festive.
- Big batch: approximately 60 small cookies for holiday trays.
- No decorating afterward: the coating and topping go on before baking.
- Genuinely old-fashioned: shortening, dates, nuts, cherries, and cereal make this a true vintage cookie.
Ingredient Notes
Candied cherries
I use candied red cherries instead of maraschino cherries. They are drier, easier to chop into the dough, and still give the cookies their bright vintage look.
Shortening
This recipe uses ¾ cup shortening, not butter. I keep it that way because it is part of the original style and texture.
Dates and pecans
Chop both into small pieces but do not turn the pecans into powder. Separate any sticky date pieces before stirring them into the dough.
Corn flakes
The corn flakes go outside the cookie. Crush them coarsely so the cereal remains visible and crisp after baking.
Equipment
A hand mixer makes the shortening and sugar easy to cream. You will also need mixing bowls, cookie sheets, a shallow bowl for the corn flakes, and cooling racks.
Tools I Use for This Recipe
Candied Red Cherries, 16 oz
A suggested option for the drier cherry pieces used inside and on top of these cookies.
KitchenAid 5-Speed Hand Mixer
A suggested mixer for creaming the shortening and sugar and bringing the loaded dough together.
3-Tier Stackable Cooling Rack
A suggested space-saving rack for cooling this approximately 60-cookie batch.
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How to Make Cherry Winks
1. Cream the sugar and shortening
Beat the sugar and shortening until well blended. Add the milk, vanilla, and eggs and beat again until combined.
2. Make the dough
Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the shortening mixture on low speed just until a dough forms.
3. Add the fruit and nuts
Stir in the chopped pecans, dates, and candied cherries. If the dough is too sticky to handle, refrigerate it for about 15 minutes.
4. Coat and top
Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly spray the cookie sheets. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into coarsely crushed corn flakes, coat thoroughly, shape into balls, and place 2 inches apart. Press one candied cherry quarter lightly into each top.
5. Bake and cool
Bake for 10–15 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool on the sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a rack.
Expert Tips
- Use candied cherries for less added moisture.
- Keep the corn flakes coarse rather than grinding them into crumbs.
- Chill only if the dough is difficult to scoop and coat.
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack for the most even result.
- Watch the first tray starting at 10 minutes and use that timing for the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use maraschino cherries?
Yes. The classic recipe uses them. Chop them and dry them very thoroughly with paper towels before adding them to the dough.
Can I leave out the dates or pecans?
I have not tested either change. Each contributes substantial volume, sweetness, and texture, so omitting a full cup would noticeably change the recipe.
Can I use butter instead of shortening?
The vintage recipe is written with shortening. Butter would change both the flavor and the amount of spread.
How do I know they are done?
Look for set cookies with a lightly golden exterior and lightly toasted corn flakes. Start checking around 10 minutes.
Storage
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. The corn flake coating is crispest when fresh and may soften slightly as the fruit-filled cookies sit. For longer storage, freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers.
Try These Vintage Cookies Next
- Chewy Vintage Cherry Coconut Cookie Bars
- Grandma's Gumdrop Cookies
- Coconut Surprise Cookies
- Grandma's Potato Chip Cookies
Final Thoughts
Cherry Winks are one of those cookies where the ingredient list immediately tells you that you are baking something from another era: shortening, dates, pecans, corn flakes, and bright red cherries. I would not modernize those details away. The one change I would keep is using candied cherries because they are drier, easier to work into the dough, and gave me the result I preferred.
BAKE THIS NEXT
Cherry Winks Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup dates chopped
- 1/3 cup candied cherries chopped
- 1 1/2 cups corn flakes cereal coarsely crushed
- 15 candied cherries quartered, for topping
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer
- Cookie sheets
Method
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed, scraping the bowl as needed, until well blended.
- Beat in the milk, vanilla extract, and eggs until combined.
- On low speed, mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until a cookie dough forms.
- Stir in the chopped pecans, chopped dates, and 1/3 cup chopped candied cherries.
- If the dough is difficult to handle, cover and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Place the coarsely crushed corn flakes in a shallow bowl.
- Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into the crushed corn flakes and coat thoroughly. Gently shape each portion into a ball.
- Place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets and lightly press one candied cherry quarter into the top of each cookie.
- Bake at 375°F for 10–15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden.
- Cool on the cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before storing.
Nutrition
Notes
- This version uses candied cherries instead of the maraschino cherries in the classic recipe. They are drier and added less moisture to my batch.
- Keep the corn flakes coarsely crushed so the baked coating stays visibly crisp.
- Chill the dough for about 15 minutes only if it is too sticky to handle comfortably.
- Start checking around 10 minutes. The cookies should be set and lightly golden, with lightly toasted corn flakes.
- Nutrition is estimated per cookie from a 60-cookie batch and varies by brand and portion size.
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