Description
Delightful maraschino cherry cookies blend sweet nostalgia with classic bakery charm. Crimson cherries and buttery dough create irresistible treats promising pure pleasure for cookie enthusiasts.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (227 grams / 8 oz) softened butter
- 2 ¼ cups (281 grams / 9.9 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (120 grams / 4.2 oz) powdered sugar
- 1 whole egg
- ½ cup (75 grams / 2.6 oz) chopped maraschino cherries
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 24 maraschino cherries (for halving and decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat Preparation: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and arrange oven rack in the middle position for uniform heat distribution.
- Cream Base: Using an electric mixer, whip unsalted butter and powdered sugar until light, fluffy, and pale, creating a smooth foundational mixture.
- Liquid Integration: Blend egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, creating a cohesive and aromatic batter with consistent texture.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Gently fold sifted flour and baking powder into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to maintain a tender cookie structure.
- Cherry Incorporation: Finely chop maraschino cherries and delicately fold throughout the dough, ensuring even fruit distribution and vibrant color pockets.
- Sheet Arrangement: Cover baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, providing a non-stick surface for cookie formation.
- Dough Placement and Decoration: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing 2 inches apart, and press a halved maraschino cherry into each cookie’s center.
- Baking Process: Place sheets in preheated oven and bake 12-15 minutes until edges turn golden, signaling perfect caramelization and doneness.
- Cooling Technique: Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks, enabling complete cooling and achieving ideal texture and crispness.
Notes
- Cherry Selection: Choose bright red, high-quality maraschino cherries with vibrant color and firm texture for maximum flavor impact.
- Dough Handling: Avoid overmixing the dough to prevent tough, dense cookies; mix ingredients just until combined for tender, delicate results.
- Moisture Management: Pat maraschino cherries dry with paper towels to prevent excess liquid from making the cookie dough soggy or spreading incorrectly.
- Temperature Timing: Let cookies cool completely on wire racks to develop crisp edges and prevent becoming soft or mushy during storage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 139
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg