Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies

These Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies add a fun new twist to a classic favorite. I saw these a few months ago and I told myself I just HAVE make these for Christmas this year. So I did. The combination of maraschino cherries and chocolate kisses remind me of the those this delicious chocolate cherry cordials we see at Christmas time. These are now one of my favorite Christmas cookies!!

These Cherry sugar cookies are topped with a Hershey's Kiss and do taste just like chocolate covered cherry. These cookies look gorgeous on a Christmas cookie tray! They great cookies to share with your family, friends, teachers, and coworkers. If you are doing a Christmas cookie exchange this year, be sure to bring these!

Other times to share these cookies would be at a bridal shower, wedding, birthday party, Easter, or a summer gathering/picnic. Basically, anytime of year! 

Recipe adapted from, Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies 

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter, softened, but still cool
• 1 cup powdered confectioners sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 10 oz jar maraschino cherries, drained reserving 2 teaspoons of juice
• Granulated sugar, for dipping the cookies
• 36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Remove stems from cherries, chop the cherries into small pieces. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
4. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting and slowly add the powdered sugar and salt.
5. Add the cherry juice and the almond extract until combined.
6. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
7. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the chopped cherries.
8. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, roll each ball in granulated sugar, and place the balls on a baking sheet, approximately 2 inches apart.
9. Using your thumb, gently press each cookie in its center until the cookie is about 1/2-inch thick.
10. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes and then remove the pan of cookies from the oven and immediately place an unwrapped chocolate kiss onto each cookie (leaving cookies on the baking sheet). Place the cookies back in the oven and bake 1-2 more minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned.
11. Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!