Chocolate Cherry Blossoms Recipe
Chocolate Cherry Blossoms are delightful cookies featuring a buttery, cherry-infused dough baked to a light golden perfection and topped with a luscious Hershey’s Kiss. Enhanced with almond extract and optionally drizzled with a sweet glaze, these cookies combine rich chocolate and cherry flavors for a festive and irresistible treat.
- Author: Maya
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons cherry juice (from the maraschino jar)
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Topping and Glaze
- 1 bag Hershey’s Kisses (dark chocolate recommended)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking your cookies.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 1 cup powdered sugar together until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
- Add Flavorings and Cherries: Stir in the cherry juice, chopped maraschino cherries, and almond extract. For a more vibrant pink hue, consider adding a few drops of food coloring.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually mix in the flour until fully combined. The dough should be dry but still moist enough to form balls. If too dry, add more cherry juice, one teaspoon at a time.
- Form Cookie Balls: Roll the dough into balls approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Place them on ungreased cookie sheets or those lined with parchment paper or silicone mats, spacing them evenly.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges turn a light golden brown.
- Add Hershey’s Kisses: Remove the cookies from the oven and, while still warm, gently press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie. Leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set.
- Cool Cookies: Transfer the cookies to cooling racks and allow them to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare and Apply Glaze (Optional): Mix the 1 cup powdered sugar, water, and almond extract together to make a glaze. Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let the glaze harden before serving.
Notes
- For a stronger cherry flavor, add extra cherry juice one teaspoon at a time if the dough feels too dry.
- Using dark chocolate Hershey’s Kisses enhances the flavor contrast with the cherry dough.
- If you want brighter pink cookies, adding food coloring can enhance the appearance.
- Cookies should be cooled completely before glazing to prevent the glaze from melting.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Keywords: chocolate cherry blossoms, cherry cookies, Hershey's kisses cookies, almond extract cookies, holiday cookies, baked cherry treats