Description
Cherry Blossom Cookies are delightful, soft, buttery treats infused with maraschino cherry juice and almond extract, featuring a bright pop of chopped maraschino cherries and crowned with a Hershey’s Kiss for a perfect balance of flavor and charm. These cookies bake quickly to a lightly golden finish and are coated in sweet granulated sugar, making them as visually appealing as they are delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
- ½ teaspoon almond extract or vanilla extract
- 2-4 drops red food coloring (optional)
- 2 – 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup maraschino cherries finely chopped and drained
For Rolling and Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling
- 24 Hershey’s Kisses unwrapped
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Flavorings: Mix in the salt, maraschino cherry juice, almond extract, and red food coloring if using.
- Add Flour: Gradually add 2 cups of flour to the wet mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Add up to ½ cup more flour as necessary for a soft but not sticky dough.
- Fold in Cherries: Gently fold in the finely chopped, well-drained maraschino cherries until evenly distributed.
- Form and Roll Dough Balls: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar to coat.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
- Add Hershey’s Kisses: Immediately upon removing from the oven, gently press one Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Cookies can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months for extended freshness.
- If dough is too soft or sticky, chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling.
- Drain maraschino cherries well and pat dry to avoid excess moisture in the dough.
- Red food coloring is optional but adds a pretty pink hue for visual appeal.
- Feel free to experiment with different flavored extracts for a unique twist.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
