Description

Delightfully soft and sweet cherry blossom cookies featuring a fragrant blend of maraschino cherry juice and almond extract, studded with chopped cherries and topped with a classic Hershey kiss. These easy-to-make cookies offer a perfect balance of buttery richness and fruity flavor, ideal for any occasion or festive celebration.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough Ingredients

1 Cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 Cup powdered sugar
¼ Teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon maraschino cherry juice liquid
¼ Teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla or cherry extract)
2 Cups all-purpose flour (plus more if needed)
1 Cup maraschino cherries (chopped)

Coating and Topping

¼ Cup granulated sugar (for rolling dough balls)
24 Hershey Kisses

Instructions

Cream: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the room temperature unsalted butter and powdered sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the cookie dough.
Mix: Add the maraschino cherry juice and almond extract (or your choice of vanilla or cherry extract) to the creamed butter mixture and continue mixing until fully smooth and well integrated.
Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add 2 cups of all-purpose flour and salt to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated. If the dough is too sticky, slowly add more flour a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a play-dough consistency that can be handled without sticking to your hands.
Stir in Cherries: Gently fold in the chopped maraschino cherries with a spoon until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Shape: Using a tablespoon-size cookie scoop, form small balls of dough. Roll each ball in granulated sugar until fully coated to add a sweet, slightly crunchy exterior.
Chill: Place the coated dough balls on a tray and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. This step helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.
Preheat Oven: While chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
Bake: Arrange the chilled dough balls evenly spaced apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes or until the cookies are baked through and lightly set around the edges.
Add Topping: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press one Hershey kiss into the center of each cookie while still warm to melt slightly and adhere.
Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to a serving plate. This ensures the kisses set nicely and prevents breakage.

Notes

Room temperature butter is essential for proper creaming and a tender cookie texture.
Adjust flour quantity carefully to get the perfect dough consistency; too much flour will make cookies dry and crumbly.
You can substitute almond extract with vanilla or cherry extract depending on flavor preference.
Chilling the cookie dough balls is important to maintain shape during baking and prevent spreading.
Use parchment paper on the baking sheet for even baking and easier cleanup.
Press the Hershey kisses into warm cookies for better adhesion and a soft center.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: cherry blossom cookies, cherry cookies, Hershey kiss cookies, easy cherry cookies, baked cookies, almond extract cookies, maraschino cherry cookies