Fruit Drops Florentine

Bright red and green cherries lend these fruitcake-like cookies a holiday disposition. A thin drizzle of chocolate makes them even sweeter. This recipe is from Meals.com These look great on a tray of Christmas goodies.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Yields: 52 cookies

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup shortening
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine, softened
• 2 1⁄4 cups flour, divided
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  cup  slivered almonds
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped  candied red cherries
• 1⁄2 cup  chopped  green glazed cherries
• 2⁄3 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2  teaspoons shortening

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375*.
2. In a large bowl cream shortening and butter until well blended.
3. Add 1 cup flour, sugar, eggs, baking soda and vanilla.
4. Mix well.
5. Stir in almonds and cherries.
6. Beat until combined, then stir in remaining 1-1/4 cups flour.
7. Drop batter by teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet.
8. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden.
9. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transfering to wire racks. Makes 52 cookies using 1 1/2 in cookie scoop
10. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and the 2 teaspoons shortening.
11. Cook over low heat to melt, stirring until smooth.
12. Drizzle over cookies.