Objective Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is a common challenge of cancer survivorship, particularly in younger survivors. Maladaptive metacognitions have been shown to be important to the development of a range of emotional disorders but have not previously been explored in the context of FCR. Aims This study aimed to explore the relationship between FCR and a maladaptive metacognitions. Methods This cross‐sectional study included young women diagnosed with early‐stage breast cancer at least 1 year prior to study entry. Participants completed a web‐based questionnaire, which included the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI) and the brief Metacognitions Questionnaire‐30 (MCQ‐30). Linear regression was used to calculate unadjusted and adjusted slope estimates of the association of FCR with six metacognition variables, the total score of the MCQ‐30 and the five subscales. Results Two‐hundred and eighteen women with a mean age of 39 years at diagnosis participated. All measures of metacognitive style were moderately correlated with FCRI scores (r = 0.31–0.49) and significantly associated with FCRI in both unadjusted and adjusted models. Overall metacognitive style explained 36% of the variance in FCR scores in combination with disease and demographic factors. Negative metacognitions (R2 = 0.32) and need for control over cognition (R2 = 0.26) were the MCQ‐30 subscales most associated with higher FCR. Conclusions Unhelpful metacognitions appear to play an important role in FCR in young women with early‐stage breast cancer. Treatments that focus on changing unhelpful metacognitions may prove a useful approach for treating clinical FCR in cancer survivors in the future. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.