Cherry Blossom Cookies

Name: Cherry Blossom Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4-1/2 dozen
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 1 cup confectioners' sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice; 1/2 teaspoon almond extract; 6 drops red food coloring, optional; 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries; 54 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Total Time Prep: 20 min. Bake: 10 min./batch

Yield 4-1/2 dozen

Test Kitchen Approved

Looking to add an impressive addition to a potluck dessert table, holiday party or bake sale? These scrumptious cherry blossom cookies are sweet, fruity and chocolaty, with a little something to make everyone smile.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
6 drops red food coloring, optional
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries
54 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter, confectioners' sugar and salt until blended. Beat in cherry juice, extract and, if desired, food coloring. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in cherries.
Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into center of each cookie (cookie will crack around edges). Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 85 calories, 5g fat (3g saturated fat), 10mg cholesterol, 51mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.

Topped with a chocolate kiss, these cherry-flavored cookies look super cute on a dessert tray. Share them with family and friends. —Joy Yurk, Grafton, Wisconsin

Recipe Creator