Description
Festive Christmas maraschino cherry shortbread cookies bring delightful holiday cheer to dessert tables. Sweet cherry-studded cookies offer buttery richness and elegant crumbly texture that delights winter celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips (premium quality)
- 3/4 cup maraschino cherries (well-drained, chopped)
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
Instructions
- Blend flour and salt in a mixing bowl, creating a foundational dry mixture for the shortbread cookies.
- Cream softened butter with confectioners’ sugar until smooth, then infuse with vanilla extract for enhanced flavor complexity.
- Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the butter blend, mixing until the dough forms substantial, cohesive clumps.
- Gently fold chocolate chips and maraschino cherries throughout the dough, ensuring uniform distribution of ingredients.
- Craft the dough into a compact cylindrical log measuring approximately 2 inches in diameter. Encase tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours to solidify.
- Heat oven to 325°F and prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet for cookie placement.
- Extract chilled dough log and slice into uniform 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick rounds. Reassemble any crumbling sections with gentle pressure. Position slices on baking sheet with sufficient spacing.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until edges display a delicate golden tinge, indicating perfect shortbread texture.
- Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack for complete temperature reduction.
Notes
- Softening butter is crucial for achieving a smooth, creamy base that blends perfectly with sugar, ensuring a light and tender cookie texture.
- Chilling the dough allows flavors to meld and prevents cookies from spreading too much during baking, creating a more compact and elegant shape.
- Slice cookies with a sharp knife and wipe the blade clean between cuts to get clean, even edges that make each cookie look professionally prepared.
- For gluten-free adaptation, swap all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend, maintaining the same measurement to preserve the cookie’s delicate structure.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 142
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 38 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 22 mg