Almond Cherry Cookies Recipe
Delightful Almond Cherry Cookies feature a buttery, tender cookie base flavored with vanilla and almond extracts, topped with sweet maraschino cherries. These classic cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings or any time you crave a festive, fruit-topped treat with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter
- 1½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 egg, well beaten
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2½ cups flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
Topping
- Maraschino cherries, dried and cut in half
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup of butter and 1½ cups of confectioners’ sugar until smooth and fluffy, ensuring a creamy base for the dough.
- Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in 1 well-beaten egg along with ½ teaspoon each of vanilla extract and almond extract until fully incorporated, adding flavor and moisture to the dough.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2½ cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing well to form a cohesive cookie dough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm it up, which will help in shaping the cookies and improving the texture.
- Form Cookie Balls: After chilling, roll the dough into small balls of your preferred size. Place the dough balls evenly spaced on a cookie sheet to prepare for baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10 to 12 minutes; smaller cookie balls may need only around 8 minutes. Bake until edges are light golden but centers remain soft.
- Prepare Cherries: While baking, drain and pat dry maraschino cherries with a paper towel. Cut each cherry in half to use as a topping.
- Cool and Top Cookies: Once baked, let the cookies cool on a wire rack. While still warm, gently press a half maraschino cherry in the center of each cookie to complete the presentation and add a sweet, fruity finish.
Notes
- An alternative variation is to roll the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar before baking, and instead of placing a cherry on top after baking, place a blanched almond slice on each cookie before baking for a nutty twist.
- Make sure to dry the maraschino cherries thoroughly to prevent soggy cookies.
- Size of cookie balls will affect baking time; monitor closely to avoid over-baking.
Keywords: Almond cherry cookies, holiday cookies, fruity cookies, easy cookie recipe, maraschino cherry cookies
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