These delicious Cherry Shortbread Cookies are dipped in white chocolate!
This is a different kind of cookie recipe! These are yummy little cookies with a different flavor than most. Cherries and white chocolate are incorporated into these buttery shortbread cookies. Half of each cookie is dipped in white chocolate. These pink-tinted White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies are a pretty cookie for the winter holidays, but they awfully cute for Valentine’s Day too.
Maraschino Cherries:
This cookie recipe incorporates maraschino cherries! Now before you tell me that you don’t like maraschino cherries, let me explain that you still might enjoy the flavor of these cookies! The cherries are chopped finely, and there is only 1/2 cup of the cherries in the entire recipe. So there’s just going to be a little hint of cherry in each cookie.
How to make White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies:
You’ll combine the chopped cherries with flour, sugar, butter, chopped white chocolate and almond extract. There is no egg in this cookie recipe. You have the option of adding in a few drops of red food coloring to create a pinker hue (but it’s not necessary). The dough is pressed together, and then balls of dough are created and placed onto a baking sheet. You’ll use the sugared bottom of a glass to flatten the dough balls into rounds. They are baked for about 12 minutes.
After the cookies have cooled, you’ll dip them in white chocolate. Chopped white chocolate is combined with a couple of teaspoons of shortening and melted until smooth. You’ll pick up a cookie and dip half of it into the melted chocolate- leaving one side of the cookie uncoated with the chocolate and exposing the pretty, pink part of the cookie.
Substitution suggestions:
If you don’t care for almond-flavored cookies (or if there is an allergy), it’s okay to substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract. If you’d like to turn these into a “green” cookie, use green maraschino cherries! I’ve never used any other chocolate but white chocolate for these cookies, but you could certainly try to use milk chocolate, semisweet or dark chocolate and let us know how it goes!
This recipe for White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies makes 36 cookies. Store the cookies in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Separate layers with waxed paper. Freeze these cookies for up to 3 months. Enjoy!
Here are a few more shortbread cookie recipes you might like to try:
- Pumpkin Shortbread Cookies
- Mexican Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- Cinnamon Shortbread
- Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Espresso Shortbread Cookies
- Christmas Shortbread Cookies
- Red Velvet Shortbread Cookies
White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
COOKIES:
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cut into pieces
- 4 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 to 3 drops red food coloring (optional)
FOR DIPPING:
- 8 ounces white chocolate (or vanilla candy disks)
- 2 teaspoons shortening
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mats.
MAKE THE COOKIES:
- Spread the cherries on paper towels to drain well. Chop finely; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the chopped cherries and 4 ounces of the chopped chocolate. Stir in the almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead the mixture with your hands until it forms a smooth ball.
- Shape the dough into ¾-inch balls. Place the dough balls 2-inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in water and then sugar, flatten the dough balls to 1½-inch rounds.
- Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until the centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
DIP THE COOKIES:
- Place the remaining chopped chocolate or disks + shortening in a glass bowl or measuring cup. Heat and stir in 30 second intervals in the microwave until melted and smooth (or melt in a small saucepan over low heat on the stove). Dip half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place cookies on waxed paper until the chocolate is set.
Notes
- *To store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
