Every December, I bake Christmas cookies. I have a standing repertoire of 6 different cookies that I bake for the holidays, and I occasionally throw in another few kinds if I have the time. It sounds like a lot of cookies and it is! But I enjoy baking and the extended family that we spend Christmas with love the cookies I bring them.

We celebrate with Eric’s family on Christmas Eve and mine on Christmas Day. That’s around 20 people along with the 5 of us. Almost everyone likes one of the 3 Oatmeal Cookie variations I make. The Almond Sugar Cookies are a big hit with friends and family alike. Being iced cut-out cookies, they are adaptable to any occasion. Our kids grew up taking these to school as their birthday treats. Cherry Bombs (maraschino cherries wrapped in a cherry flavored cookie dough, then dipped in chocolate) are also popular with many of my friends and former co-workers. The pink-tinted dough makes them perfect for Valentine’s Day, too. My personal favorites from the Christmas collection are the butter cookies. Chocolate & Orange Butter Cookies are one of them. These shortbread cookies are another.

Cherry & Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Cherry & Chocolate Shortbread Cookies (adapted from argostarch.com)            

Prep time:  20 minutes     Bake time:  20-30 minutes     Yields 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1 ounce bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Place the cherries & chips in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped. Set the mixture aside.

Pulse the cherries & chocolate pieces in a food processor until chopped.

Combine the butter, sugar and almond extract thoroughly in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Gradually blend in the flour and corn starch. Add the cherry and chocolate pieces.

Add the cherry & chocolate pieces to the cookie dough.

Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place them on ungreased baking sheets.

Place rounded balls of dough on baking sheets.

Dip the bottom of a flat glass in the tablespoon of sugar and gently press down on each cookie to flatten it.

Flatten each ball of dough with a sugar coated flat-bottomed glass.

Bake the cookies in a preheated 300º F oven for 20-30 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown.

Bake the cookies.

Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove them from the baking sheets to the wire rack to cool completely.

Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack.

Store the cookies in an airtight container.

Santa won’t be able to resist these!

Cherries & chocolate are a great, seasonal addition to shortbread cookies!  ~Linda

Cherry & Chocolate Shortbread Cookies (adapted from argostarch.com)            

Prep time:  20 minutes     Bake time:  20-30 minutes     Yields 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/2 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
• 1 ounce bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Place the cherries & chips in a food processor and pulse until they are chopped. Set the mixture aside. Combine the butter, sugar and almond extract thoroughly in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Gradually blend in the flour and corn starch. Add the cherry and chocolate pieces.

Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place them on ungreased baking sheets.  Dip the bottom of a flat glass in the tablespoon of sugar and gently press down on each cookie to flatten it.

Bake the cookies in a preheated 300º F oven for 20-30 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove them from the baking sheets to the wire rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container.