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?

Holiday Baking List

One of my favorite parts of Christmastime is all of the baked goodies.

I love baking up a storm, trying new recipes, breaking out our classic family ones, and of course, devouring the treats throughout the holiday season.

Midway through 7-layer cookie baking, 2010

It seems as though everywhere I look, there are more and more amazing holiday recipes. If you follow me on Pinterest, you may have even seen lots of baking ideas I've been pinning over the last few days.

Every year, I do a baking day with my mom. Last year, we made dozens upon dozens of cookies...I think 11 different varieties in 1 day.

This year, I have so many things I want to make that I might even start testing things out this weekend and distributing goodies to my office mates, building concierge and neighbors over the next couple of weeks.

Here's what I've got on my list this season:

Raspberry Thumbprints

Cherry Chocolate Kisses

Cocoa Thumbprints

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

Butter Cookie Cutouts

Italian Rainbow Cookies

Chocolate Crinkles

Other recipes from around the web that I would love to have time for!

Candy Cane Kiss Cookies via Recipe Girl

Christmas Candy Cheesecake via Sprinkle Bakes

Eggnog Crumble Crunch Cake via How Sweet It Is

Red Velvet Marshmallow Thumbprints via How Sweet It Is

Hot Chocolate Cookies via Baking Serendipity

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies via The Comfort of Cooking

Soft Gingersnaps with White Chocolate Frosting via Two Peas and Their Pod

Sooo...at almost 8 months pregnant, I'll totally have time for all of the above...right?

I'll be sure to keep you posted along the way :)

Now it's your turn...

What's on your baking list this holiday season?

What other amazing recipes have I been missing out on?

Share some link-ups in the comments!

Cocoa Thumbprints

Mornin'!

I have to admit...I'm really getting tired of this pitch blackness at 6am. I know we have a long way to go before that changes but it makes me want to remain curled up under my big comforter and never come out.

On a more exciting note, I'm happy to announce the winner of the homemade goodies giveaway. I just used a random number generator to choose the winner:

And the winner is: Joanna! Congrats Joanna! Please email me at theavidappetite@gmail.com and I will get your package out to you first thing on Monday morning. Thank you to everyone who entered! I loved reading about your favorite cookies. It seems like chocolate chip was by far the winner of the bunch, and who could blame you? It's one of my favorites as well...but only when my Aunt Janet makes them because she is famous for her amazing chocolate chip cookies!

It was also fantastic to hear from new readers and commenters! You made my day :) I promise I have more giveaways coming up (like in January, to celebrate TAA's 2nd birthday!), so don't go far away :)

Meanwhile, I wanted to share the recipe for the cocoa thumbprints in case any of you would like to make them for the holiday! This was the first year that we added them to our repetoire, and I'm so happy that my cousin Veronica picked them out to make on our baking day.

They are soft, sugary and have an almost brownie-like texture. I also adore that they are simply beautiful! You can really fill them with whatever you'd like! I think the candied cherries are the prettiest, but sprinkles, mini M&M's, marshmallows, nuts, jam, peanut butter, Nutella or Biscoff spread (yum!) would all work beautifully as well! I can't wait to try some new variations before Christmas.

Cocoa Thumbprints
*Adapted from Food Network Magazine, December 2011
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 1/4 C granulated sugar, divided
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 C confectioners' sugar
sprinkles, candied cherries, M&M's, nuts, jam, mini chocolate chips, or other filling of your choice

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, 3/4 C granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and eggs, stirring until combined. Cover the dough and refrigerate, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the over to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. Place 1/2 C of the granulated sugar in a small bowl, and the confectioners' sugar in another small bowl. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls, roll in the granulated sugar and then in the confectioners' sugar. Place the dough balls about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets and lightly flatten each ball with your fingers, making a small well in the center of each ball for the filling. Fill the dough with your filling of choice (note: if you are using chocolate chips, jam, pb or Nutella, you should fill the cookies AFTER baking and cooling).

Bake the cookies about 10 minutes until slightly cracked. Let them cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks.

These are definitely going in our permanent collection! Such a fun change up from the traditional chocolate crinkle, and they would be a gorgeous addition to any cookie tray!

So there you have it...my new favorite holiday cookie! I hope you enjoy this recipe and please keep sharing yours with me! My cookie baking is definitely NOT over yet :) Have a great Thursday everyone! I have my office holiday party tonight and if last year is any indication...it should be a fun (and late night) one ;)

Questions of the Day:

Do you wake up in the morning while it's still dark out?

What goodies have you made for the season so far? What's still on your list? I still plan to make salted caramels, a white chocolate peppermint cheesecake and perhaps gingerbread cupcakes for this weekend!