Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies - Valentine Kisses

CFS Momma's Note:

These cookies are similar to Peanut Butter Blossoms, but are cherry cookies instead of peanut butter. I like to make them for Valentine's Day-- and call them Valentine Kisses. There are many variations-- you can use make the dough and use white or semi-sweet chocolate chips or use mini-kisses for smaller bite size cookies. The dough can be rolled in plain sugar, or red decorator sugar for an extra festive look.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 14 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 14 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 24 cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cherry juice
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped or crushed maraschino cherry
• 1 cup granulated or decorator sugar (as needed)
• 12 ounces Hershey chocolate kisses (1 per cookie) or 12 ounces Hershey's Hugs chocolates (1 per cookie)

Directions:

1. Beat butter, add sugar and salt. Beat in cherry liquid and almond extract. Beat in flour. Fold in cherries.
2. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes (you don't have to, but dough is easier to work with when cold).
3. Roll dough into balls, coat in sugar and place on cookie sheet. These cookies will flatten on their own, but I typically put a thumb print in the center to flatten some.
4. Bake at 325 degrees for 14 minutes. Let cool on pan for 1-2 minutes.
5. Add Hershey Kiss/Hug to center of the cookies. (Hugs melt especially fast, you may want to let the cookies cool a little longer before adding Hugs, but cookies should still be warm so chocolate can melt into the cookie).
6. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Reviews

[Chef Patience]

These cookies tasted good, but didn't come out the way I hoped. These spread more than I wanted. I put the cherries in the food processor so that they were more like a sauce when I added them.

[mn7twins]

very good. Great substitute for the peanut butter blossoms! I thought it lacked a little bit of flavor, I would add a little more almond extract or more cherry juice...make sure you add some extra flour, because it will be super gooey. Mine was very sticky when I made them, so add some flour.