Description
These Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies are a festive and delightful treat featuring buttery shortbread dough studded with sweet maraschino cherries and rich chocolate chips. Perfectly crisp on the outside and tender inside, these cookies offer a delicious blend of buttery, fruity, and chocolaty flavors, ideal for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 3/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped and well-drained
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter Mixture: Using a mixer, beat the room temperature unsalted butter with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy, which usually takes around 2-3 minutes.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and salt to ensure they are well mixed and free of lumps.
- Make the Dough: Gradually add the sifted flour and salt into the butter mixture. Knead gently to form a cohesive dough.
- Add Cherries and Chocolate: Fold in the chopped maraschino cherries (drained on paper towels to remove excess moisture) and chocolate chips, mixing evenly into the dough.
- Chill the Dough: Lay a piece of cling film on a surface, place the dough on it, and shape it into a log. Press it gently with your hands to flatten slightly. Wrap it tightly in the cling film and refrigerate for at least one hour to firm up.
- Cut and Bake: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and unwrap it. Slice the dough log into round cookies about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and place them spaced on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and firm.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack or plate to serve.
Notes
- If the butter is too hard to work with, cut it into small pieces and briefly melt it in the microwave to soften slightly, then refrigerate the dough as directed.
- Using small chocolate chips or drops helps keep the dough log easier to cut without breaking apart.
- Ensure to chill the dough for at least one hour before slicing to maintain the shape of the cookies during baking.
- If the dough crumbles or breaks when cutting, gently hold each cookie together with your fingers before placing them on the baking sheet.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
