Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Chocolate covered cherry cookies - buttery cookies rolled in almonds, topped with a maraschino cherry nestled in a cherry buttercream, and drizzled with chocolate. 

These chocolate covered cherry cookies are tasty little bites of sweet cherries nestled in cookies coated in chopped almonds and drizzled in semi-sweet chocolate. 

Bite into one of these cookies and get a burst of juicy cherry goodness. 

There's something about maraschino cherries that takes me back to childhood. It could be the Shirley Temples my parents would order for us when we went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. 

Or maybe it's the bourbon soaked maraschino cherry my grandmother used to sneak me from her old fashioned. 

If you want to be fancy, you can even use the Luxardo cherries that are candied fresh. However, there's nothing more "gestalt-like" than the bright red maraschino cherry for anyone who grew up in the days of Shirley Temples and banana splits. 

These cookies are perfect for holiday cookie exchanges and probably won't last long enough to to be taken home. 

Ingredient in These Cookies:

For the cookie base, you will need butter, shortening, brown sugar, salt, an egg yolk, vanilla extract, and all-purpose flour. 

To coat the cookies, you will need an egg white and chopped almonds. 

For the buttercream, you will need powdered sugar, butter, a little bit of milk, and some juice from the jar of cherries. 

To top the cookies, of course you'll need a cherry, plus some semi-sweet chocolate chips melted with a bit of shortening. 

These cookies are pretty easy to make too!

Tips for Making These Cookies:

This recipe makes 24 cookies. To make sure you have fairly uniform sized cookies, there are two ways you can divide the dough. 

One way is to form the dough into a 1/2 inch thick square or rectangle, and then cut the dough into 24 equal-sized pieces with a bench knife or dough scraper. 

Another way is to roll the dough into a log and then cut it into 24 pieces. 

However you divide the dough, form each piece into a ball, dip them into a whisked egg white, and then roll them in chopped almonds. 

Once you've rolled the cookie dough in the almonds, create an indent in the middle. Since these cookies are smaller than thumbprint cookies, I used the handle of a wooden spoon to create the indentation. 

Be sure to lay the maraschino cherries on paper towels and pat them dry to absorb any excess moisture. Let them sit on the paper towel while you are making the other components for the cookies. 

One other tip: Refrigerate the cookies after you've assembled them so that the buttercream and the chocolate drizzle can set and harden. 

Helpful Tools:

Bench Knife/Scraper: This tool is super helpful for cutting the dough into the 24 pieces. Plus, if you like to bake bread, this tool is great for lifting and shaping dough as well as scraping flour off your work surface. 

Plastic Squeeze Bottle: I used one to drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies. You could also use a spoon or a piping bag with a small tip. 

Candy and Chocolate Melting Pot: While this is kind of a luxury, I love using it to melt the chocolate chips. Plus, it holds the chocolate at the right temperature for drizzling. You can also use a double boiler or the microwave for melting the chocolate. 

If you have any leftovers, you can store these in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They can be served cold or at room temperature. 

If you love the combination of chocolate and cherries, be sure to try my chocolate cherry tart and my black forest cake. 

Welcome to #ChristmasCookies Week! That time of year when we soften the butter, fire up the oven, and make cookie trays for family, friends, and neighbors. This year more than 20 top-notch bloggers are sharing their very favorite creations for all to make and enjoy. Join us for a week’s worth of Christmas cookie deliciousness.

• Caramel Tassies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Chocolate Caramel Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies by Red Cottage Chronicles
• Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Thumbprints by Hostess At Heart
• Christmas Shortbread Cookie Bars by Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
• Date Sugar Walnut Cookies by Magical Ingredients
• Earl Grey Snickerdoodles by The Spiffy Cookie
• Easy Cake Mix Biscotti by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies by Best Cookie Recipes
• Gingerbread Penuche Sandwich Cookies by That Recipe
• Ginger Molasses Cookies with Caramelized Ginger by Family Around the Table
• Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms by Frugal & Fit
• Hot Chocolate Cookies by Blogghetti
• Iced Gingerbread Bars by Art of Natural Living
• Maple Doodles by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mini M&M Cookies by Palatable Pastime
• Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies by Shockingly Delicious
• Orange Ginger Refrigerator Cookies by An Affair from the Heart
• Peppermint Meringues by Cheese Curd in Paradise
• Peppermint Mocha Cookies by Sweet Beginnings
• Reese's Macaron by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Sugar Plum Pinwheel Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, and Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Yield: 24 Cookies

Author: Karen's Kitchen Stories

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

Chocolate covered cherry cookies - buttery cookies rolled in almonds, topped with a maraschino cherry nestled in a cherry buttercream, and drizzled with chocolate.

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, separated
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 130 grams (4 1/2 ounces) (1 cup) all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole, skin-on, unsalted almonds (whole natural), pulsed in a food processor into small pieces

For the Buttercream

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon juice from the jar of cherries
• 2 teaspoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon milk

To Top the Cookies

• 24 maraschino cherries
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon shortening

Instructions

1. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter, shortening, brown sugar, and salt until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
2. Slowly beat in the flour until just incorporated. Form the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle or a 1 1/2 width log, squaring off ends. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper. Cut the dough into 24 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.
4. Whisk the egg white in a small bowl, and place the almond pieces in another bowl. Roll each ball in the egg white and then dip it into the almonds to coat. Place on the baking sheet.
5. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, press and indentation in the center of each ball.
6. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes. Using the handle of the wooden spoon, gently press down again on the indentations in the center if they have lost their shape.
7. Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack.
8. Beat the buttercream ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Place a quarter teaspoon in each indentation and top with a cherry.
9. Melt the chocolate chips with the shortening in 20 second bursts in the microwave (stirring in between), or melt in a chocolate melting pot, and drizzle the chocolate over the tops of the cookies.
10. Let set in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

155.19

Fat (grams)

7.29

Sat. Fat (grams)

3.37

Carbs (grams)

19.5

Fiber (grams)

1.34

Net carbs

18.17

Sugar (grams)

8.73

Protein (grams)

3.26

Sodium (milligrams)

41.09

Cholesterol (grams)

14.09

https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2022/11/chocolate-covered-cherry-cookies.html

Karen's Kitchen Stories

cookies, Christmas

Dessert

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Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Magazine Winter 2015.