Chocolate Cherry Blossoms

I went a little bit crazy buying different variations of Hershey Kisses this holiday season. And when I say a little crazy... I mean I bought at least a dozen bags of them. Just to bake food. cookies.

I know.  Obsessive.

But whatever.  It's Christmas!

So today...  I originally wanted to make a peppermint sugar cookie, but then decided to use these Chocolate Cherry Kisses that had been sitting in the candy bowl screamed to be used up.  Also in my cabinet was a jar of marichino cherries and some mini chocolate chips.

DING DING DING! We have a WINNER!

Cherries + Chocolate = DELICIOUS

Cherries + Chocolate + Cookies = HEAVEN

This cookie is so super simple and easy to make... almost too easy.   And even better than it's simplicity... it's almost VEGAN! No eggs or dairy!  (Sub a non-animal shortening for the butter and you've got Vegan! HORRAY!)

ENJOY!

Chocolate Cherry Blossoms
Makes 2-3 dozen cookies (depending on size)

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon Maraschino cherry juice (the juice your cherries come in!)
¼ teaspoon almond extract (vanilla is okay too if you don't have almond)
2 cups flour
½ cup Maraschino cherries, chopped
¼ cup mini chocolate chips

½ cup sugar
Hershey's Chocolate Cherry Kisses, unwrapped

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream together the salt, butter and powdered sugar.
3. Add the cherry juice and extract and mix until combined.  Don't forget to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl!
4. Add the flour and mix just until combined.
5. Fold in the chopped cherries and mini chocolate chips.
6. Using a tiny 1in ice cream scoop... scoop then roll 1in balls of dough in your hand.  Roll them in the ½ cup sugar and place them on your cookie sheet 2in apart.
7. Using the bottom of a glass, press the dough slightly to flatten... not too much, we don't want pancake cookies!
8. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until bottoms of cookies just begin to brown.
9. As soon as you take the cookies out of the oven, press a Kiss into the center of each cookie.  Remove to a wire rack to cool.
10. I actually ran out of Kisses, so some of the cookies got a drizzle of a simple chocolate ganache on top!
11. Enjoy!