Holiday Cookie Week: Double Cherry Cordial Kisses

So this whole pregnancy thing is kind of weird. Sometimes, I get super duper tired to where I almost feel like I'll be sick or die {I swear I'm only a little dramatic} if I don't go to sleep immediately. I could be in the middle of a project or a conversation when the sleepiness hits, and I just run to the bedroom, crawl under the covers and pass out. But then my body decides to do something weird. Like when after a full day of baking in my mom's kitchen, I hold out until 10pm to go to sleep and I awake at 4:15AM ready to rock and roll for the day (and Baby H agrees). So yes, friends...I've been up since 4:15 this morning and feel incredibly unproductive because I spent over an hour trying to fall back to sleep and then inevitably, once I do...my morning alarm is blaring.

So yeah.

Anyway.

Yesterday was our Annual Holiday Cookiepalooza at my mom's house! My mom, my sister Kim, my cousin Veronica and I spent the entire day baking somewhere in the range of 500 cookies for the holidays.

We set up all over my mom's kitchen (luckily it's very spacious) and baked our butts off. With 10 different kinds of cookies in the mix, I thought it would be fun to share a different recipe each day this week on the blog. There's plenty of time before Christmas to make any of these amazing cookies, and each one is a staple in our holiday celebrations...I couldn't imagine Christmas without them!

The batch that I got started on first yesterday morning were the classic cherry kisses. Pretty pink shortbread dotted with chopped cherries and topped with a Hershey kiss. But not just any Hershey kiss...a cherry cordial Hershey kiss! This extra special addition really takes these cookies over the top. These cookies turn out to be a not-too-sweet shortbread with just a hint of sweetness from the chopped cherries and a burst of chocolately cherry sweetness from the cherry Hershey kisses.  Oh and did I mention how I really just love how pretty they turn out? So sweet and pink (a color that I love even more this year!) and just scream Christmas to me.

Double Cherry Cordial Kisses

1 C butter, softened
1 C confectioners' sugar
4 tsp maraschino cherry juice
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 C maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
48 cherry cordial Hershey kisses, unwrapped & chilled

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add in the confectioners' sugar, cherry juice and almond extract and beat to combine completely. Gradually add in the flour and salt. Stir in the chopped cherries.

Roll into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and flatten slightly with the bottom of a measuring cup or small glass. 

Bake for 12-14 minutes. 

Meanwhile, unwrap the Hershey kisses, place in a bowl and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. When the cookies come out of the oven and are still hot, place a Hershey kiss lightly but firmly into each cookie. The Kisses will melt slightly, but they will adhere to the cookie. Let cool completely.

Yields about 3 dozen cookies.

Try not to devour them all at once!

It's tough, though.

I hope you enjoy cookie week - I have lots more delicious treats coming your way! 

What are your favorite or most traditional holiday treats?

Comments

[kitchen belleicious]

just love the extra double cherriness in the cherry kisses! Too good not to have a dozen! LOL! hope you and baby are doing well

[Luv What You Do]

I hope you are doing better than I am at not eating all of your cookies. Your tray is beautiful and impressive!!! What a fantastic way to spend your day!

[Karen (Back Road Journal)]

So many pretty cookies on your platter. I'm going to have to look for the cordial kisses...I haven't seen them yet.