Cherry Chocolate Cookies

We are in the midst of another big snow storm and I am loving every minute of it!

Why?

Because I am home today and I love to be snowed in while baking Christmas cookies.

I do not know what propelled me to buy that HUGE jar of maraschino cherries. I guess I thought I needed more than I did.

While shopping last weekend, I saw these new Hershey kisses with cherry cordial filling. I immediately thought of using them for a cherry cookie topper.


The snow was falling, the trees were twinkling, and Kenny Rogers softly crooned Christmas carols as I started baking my first batch of cookies at 6:00 a.m.


This is the first time I made these and after the first batch, I needed to taste them to see if I wanted to do a second.

It was only 7:00 a.m. and I am not really ready to eat a cookie at 7 a.m., but I did... and, oh my, that filling was just like the inside of a chocolate-covered cherry.


YUM!


I did a little tweaking of a recipe and ended up with this:

Cherry Chocolate Cookies

1 c powdered sugar

1 c butter, softened

3 tsp. maraschino cherry liquid

1 tsp. strawberry extract (if you don't have it, just use vanilla)

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries

about 27 cherry filled chocolate kisses (or more if you make smaller cookies than I did)

Combine powdered sugar, butter, cherry juice & strawberry extract .

Mix well.

Add flour & salt.

Slowly stir in until well combined.

Stir in cherries.

Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour if you have time. I did not do this.

Shape into walnut-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10 -12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Let cool one minute before removing from baking pan.