I love making shortbread cookies. They are so simple and easy, but so delicious to eat. I make my brown butter shortbread cookies for Christmas every year. It is also fun to experiment with other flavors of shortbread. I love citrus shortbread, especially lemon. These cherry chocolate shortbread cookies are a bit more festive though, so great to make around the holidays.
You can use any kind of chocolate in these. I used semi-sweet mini chips in the cookies themselves and then drizzled with white chocolate for a little contrast after cooling. You could use chopped white chocolate in the dough, dark chocolate for the drizzle, etc. Whatever combo you prefer.
This recipe uses chopped Maraschino cherries, plus a touch of almond extra so they have great cherry/almond flavor. There is no chilling time required to bake these, so they are quick to make. You can scoop them like I did, or roll them out and cut squares. This particular dough doesn’t hold it shape super well, so I wouldn’t recommend trying to use cookie cutters for these. My family loved these, and I’ve been requested to make more, so I hope you try them too!
Chocolate Cherry Shortbread
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups AP flour
- 3/4 cup sugar divided
- 1 cup cold butter cubed
- 1/2 cup Maraschino cherries finely chopped and patted dry
- 12 oz chocolate white, dark, or a mix
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Knead in cherries, 2/3 cup chocolate and the extract until dough forms a ball.
- Shape into 3/4-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a glass dipped in remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Bake at 325° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
- Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle over the cookies.
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