Chocolate Cherry Blossoms

For the past few years, Hershey has been making kisses with different fillings - cherry, mint, candy cane, caramel, pumpkin spice, raspberry, orange, Irish cream, and probably a few more I missed. They are fun to bake with because of the different flavors. I made these Chocolate Cherry Blossoms one year before I saw the cherry kisses. I said next time, I will buy those kisses and make these cookies. Well I did, several times in fact. When I was looking up the recipe this year, I decided to check the date. I posted the recipe in 2008. Three years ago!! I think it's time for me to reshare this recipe.

I make these blossom cookies every year. Sometimes I'll do the cherry version. Other times, I'll sub milk for the cherry juice, vanilla for the almond extract, leave the cherries out, and roll the balls into sprinkles. Then instead of pressing down a kiss right out of the oven, I make indents for thumbprints and add icing when cooled. Not sure why the original recipe has food coloring since the cherry juice takes care of that.

I will admit the cookie part on its own is a little...bland. There's not an in-your-face cherry kick either (at least without the cherry kisses). The chocolate (or icing) really brings it together. Make sure there are enough cherry chunks in each ball when you roll them.

Here is the original post I made three years ago. Hopefully you agree that my photography is much better ;)


Chocolate Cherry Blossoms

1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp maraschino cherries, chopped
12 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine powdered sugar, butter, juice, almond extract, and food coloring. Add flour and salt. Mix well. Stir in chopped cherries.

2. Roll dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Immediately top each cookie with a kiss, pressing down firmly to flatten out cookies. Remove to cooling rack.

Makes 1 dozen.
Source: Food.com