Chocolate Topped Cherry Drops - Yummy Holiday Cookies
Recipe for Cherry Cookies Covered in Chocolate
The holiday season is filled with cookie worthy occasions. This Chocolate Topped Cherry Cookie recipe is one of those go-to cookies in my house. It looks and tastes great. It's not too sweet, but certainly sweet enough, and it fills that chocolate craving, while stilling tasting "Christmassy".
These Chocolate Cherry Drops are easy to make, but look some something really special. Who needs cheap cordial cherries from the supermarket, when you can have these delicious cherry and chocolate cookies?
Chocolate Topped Cherry Cookies
Gather Your Equipment
You will need a mixing bowl, a microwave safe bowl, measuring cups, measuring spoons, a spatula, a spoon, a cookie sheet, parchment paper (optional), and a knife.
The Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries (6 oz jar)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 teaspoons shortening
Instructions
- Drain the cherries and chop them into small pieces. Set them aside. Do this first because once you're on a roll, you won't want to stop to do it then.
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Mix the sugar and softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy and even.
- Add the vanilla and the egg again, beat well until even. Slowly add in the flour and baking powder mixing well as you go until all the ingredients (even the bits stuck to the sides) are mixed evenly.
- Using your spatula, fold the cherry pieces into dough evenly.
- If you choose (and I do suggest it) cover your cookie sheet with parchment paper, else-wise just leave your cookie sheet ungreased. Using a teaspoon, drop rounded portions onto the cookie sheet. Some (but not a lot) of spreading will occur, so place your cookies separated.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookie start to brown. Then, place them on a cooling rack to cool.
- For the chocolate topping, melt in the microwave the chocolate chips and the shortening for 45 seconds or until melted. Stir the chocolate making sure it is smooth and even. Using a teaspoon, drop some chocolate in the center of the cookie. Shake the cookie back and forth a small amount (while keeping it level) so the chocolate spreads out a bit over the cookie.
- Let stand until chocolate is set.
Recipe Tips:
- Maraschino cherries come in both red and green. You can use either or both. Making two batches and using red for one and green for the other makes a beautiful display.
- If you choose to use green cherries, I suggest after cutting them, putting them on a a paper towel and squeezing out any extra juices. This is simply because the juices will slightly color the dough of the rest of the cookie, and who likes green cookies?
- To avoid getting chocolate on the sides of the cookie, turn the cookie sideways an you bring it up to the spoon of chocolate and then turn it flat.
- Put parchment paper on the cookie sheet to speed up clean up, and make it quick and easy to get the cookies off the pan
- If you're in a rush, refrigerate the cookies so the chocolate sets faster.
- You could push one whole cherry into the top of the cookie just before cooking. The chocolate will cover it, but give people a little surprise
- The shortning can be cut from the recipe, if you choose. It merely serves to thin the chocolate making it easier to put on the cookies. Without the shortning it will much thicker when applying.
Use a Good Cookie Sheet
For even baking, a double layer pan with air between is best. When buying a pan for cookies, it is best to have just one or two raised sides so you can easily slide the cookies off the tray to remove them from the heat without poking your fingers in them while they're still soft.
