Cherry Blossom Cookies

I love cherries. Cherry pie, Cherry Coke, Cherry Dr. Pepper, maraschino cherries, cherry jam, cherries picked right off the tree...

So, when this recipe from Taste of Home crossed my social media feed, I stopped scrolling and took a closer look. Cherries and chocolate? I was all in!

Immediately I checked for the ingredients in my cupboard and added a jar of maraschino cherries to the grocery list.

But then, I found another recipe for the same cookies.

One where the amounts of some of the ingredients varied slightly. I took a close look at the two, but essentially they were the same cookie.

I decided to try the first recipe and after a quick grocery run by Craig, I got started. (Stay in the house for weeks because of cold and snow, but when cookies are calling, the elements are braved!)

I started by chopping up the maraschino cherries and draining them. Remember my blue hands from the indigo-dyed fabric? Change that color to red and you had my hands! Be sure to keep paper towels handy. You will be glad you did.

I mixed up the ingredients 

and rolled them into balls. The second recipe had you roll those balls in granulated sugar before baking, but the first did not. Next time I make these, I will roll them in sugar. 

I unwrapped the Hershey Kisses while the cookies baked. After 10 minutes in a 350 oven, they were firm but still soft - just what I wanted. (Check the edges. If they look a little brown or dry, pull the cookies out.)

I quickly pressed a Kiss into each one. (Note to self: unwrap more Kisses than cookies for taste testing. Hah!)

And after two minutes, I moved them to cooling racks.

The cookies were good but not as yummy as I'd expected. I again compared the first recipe to the second and combined the two into one recipe that I plan to try again.

Here is my modified recipe in case you want to make Cherry Blossom Cookies, too:

Cherry Blossom Cookies

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. powdered sugar

2 c. flour

1/2 c. chopped and drained maraschino cherries (a 10 oz. jar)

1/4 t. salt (optional;  I will probably leave this out)

1 T. maraschino cherry juice

1 t. almond extract

6 drops red food coloring (if desired)

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 bag of Hershey Kisses 

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Cream butter and powdered sugar together and then slowly add the cherries, salt, juice, almond extract, and food coloring. Mix in the flour a half cup at a time.

Roll the dough into balls and then roll them in the granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and quickly press a Hershey Kiss into each cookie. Let set a couple of minutes and then remove from cookie sheet and onto racks for cooling.

Yield: 24 cookies