Monday, February 11, 2013

Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Drizzled Shortbread Cookies


 
 
Glad you dropped by Red Couch Recipes!
 
My mother made a maraschino heart-shaped cake for my father one year for Valentine's Day, and ever since I always associate maraschino cherries with Valentine's Day.  So I put together this recipe for my children, and they loved them.  These cookies are like chocolate covered cherries in shortbread form. Their lovely color is derived from the maraschino cherries and juice.   My daughter Tati also took them for her church class as a treat and they loved them also, and I hope you love them too.  Now that is a whole lot of love -- but it is Valentine's season, isn't it?
 
 
 
 
Recipe for Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Drizzled Shortbread Cookies
 
1  cup softened butter (do not use margarine)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
2 cups, plus 2 -3 tablespoons flour, as needed (see note)
Maraschino cherries from a 10-ounce jar -- chopped very finely with the juice squeezed out of the cherries -- squeeze first, then chop
Small amount milk or semi-sweet chocolatechips for drizzling (about 1/2 cup for drizzling)  -- I used milk chocolate chips.
 

 
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  In medium mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.  Beat in the almond extract, then beat in the salt.  then add maraschino cherry juice.  On low speed, gradually beat in the flour, beginning with 2 cups of flour, and adding more flour, if necessary.  The dough should be able to be rolled out.  Roll out cookies to about 1/3 inch and cut with a cookie cutter. I used a small heart-shaped cookie cutter.   Bake at 325 for about 8 - 9 minutes.  Let cookies sit on baking sheet a few minutes, and then remove and cool on rack.  When cookies are cool, melt chocolate, and then drizzle on cookies. Let chocolate dry.  Yield:  2 dozen small cookies.   Now go on and serve them to a loved one.
 
Cookies waiting to be drizzled
 
 
 
Notse:  I live in a very dry, desert area; the amount of flour you use will vary.  For the drizzling of the chocolate, I just cut a small hole in the corner of a Zip-Loc bag.  I then put a small amount of chocolate in the bag and drizzled the chocolate over the cookies with a back and forth motion.
 
Cookie waiting for chocolate to dry
 
 
 
Hope you are baking something up special for your loved ones.
 
 
 
Just a little picture from the homefront....
This is the cat named Ruby that we rescued from the street a little less than a year ago.  He was sitting in the middle of the street.  I recently bought him a little house, AND HE LOVES IT!!  You know how you buy something for your pet, and they never use it...
 
 
 
 Thanks for dropping by the Couch.

17 comments:

Lynn said...

The cookies look beautiful Joni! Bet they taste great too-Happy Valentine's Week:@)

Lisa said...

These look incredible! The flavor profile is perfect!
xo,
Lisa

Tricia said...

Oh, these look wonderful! I adore anything cherry, and when you add chocolate -- yum!

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

Beautiful cookies, Joni. Chocolate and cherries are a delicious pair.

What a sweet cat your rescued! I wish we could have a cat but hubby and youngest daughter are both highly allergic to them :(

Marigene said...

You always have great recipes, Joni! I tried the peanut butter chocolate cake bars...delicious!

Alycia Nichols said...

That's a smart way to drizzle the chocolate on there, Joni. I need to remember that for when I do my cookies. It's always such a pain to have to wash those crazy pastry bags!

The Charm of Home said...

I love that cake your Mom made. I looked back at that post where I made it a few weeks ago and it made me want to make it again soon. Your cookies look delicious!

Sherry

Velva said...

Your Valentine Day cookies are absolutely delightful.

Your cat is adorable too.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Velva

Debbie@Mountain Breaths said...

Beautiful cookies, Joni. One of my favorite combos is chocolate and cherries. My other favorite is chocolate and raspberries.

What a sweet cat you rescued!

Happy Valentine's Day.

Olga Poltava said...

They looks so pretty and delicious.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sue said...

These are so pretty and I love anything with the word "shortbread" in it! I love the picture of your kitty. Our pup is so spoiled that she loves anything we bring her and expects something. When I come in from shopping she follows me around, looking in the bags until she finds her "treat" of a toy or snack! They brighten the house, don't they?

Sarah said...

Your cookies look delicious, Joni. Wish I had one for my evening coffee. '-)
What a sweet little kitty. Glad you found him......
Wishing you a belated Happy Valentine's Day.

Jacqueline said...

Two of my favorite flavors combined. When we go to Nielsen's frozen yogurt in St. George I always get the Chocolate Cherry combination. This sounds like a similar one. They are so pretty too!

Debbie said...

I intend to pin this one. I used to make a heart shaped maraschino cake for valentines day regularly, but now that there are only two of us home, we don't need a full cake. The flavor, however, is my husband's very favorite. I'll try these if I ever have a kitchen again.

The Style Sisters said...

I can almost fast them through your pictures! Yummmmmm! Come link up to centerpiece Wednesday..I am opening it up to anything that is the enter piece of your week. By the way would you be interested in being a guest blogger on my blog one day? You could share one of your favorite recipes for Easter or something fun like that. Let me know if you would be interested.
Karin :)

Sue said...

What a fun variation on shortbread; love the pink! Ruby is one lucky kitty:)

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Oh Boy do those look good! Thanks for your sweet visit to my table.

Engageya