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Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Christmas maraschino cherry shortbread cookies are buttery, tender cookies dotted with finely chopped cherries and flavored with almond extract. A brief chill helps the dough hold its shape, while baking leaves the tops pale and the bottoms lightly golden.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chilling and cooling 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 85
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 tsp almond extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup maraschino cherries drained, patted very dry, and finely chopped

Equipment

  • 1 large baking sheet
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in the almond extract.
  5. Add the flour and salt and mix on low just until the dough looks crumbly.
  6. Fold in the cherries until evenly distributed.
  7. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
  8. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls.
  9. Flatten each ball to about 1/2 inch thick.
  10. Arrange 12 cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them.
  11. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops remain pale.
  12. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack.
  13. Repeat the shaping and arranging steps with the remaining dough on a cooled baking sheet.
  14. Bake the remaining cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the tops remain pale.
  15. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a rack.

Notes

Pat the cherries very dry so excess moisture does not affect the dough. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days; freezer storage is also suitable. For a gluten-free variation, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.