Holiday Hideaways

Each of these holiday cookies hides a secret: a whole maraschino cherry wrapped inside a thin shell of almond-vanilla dough, baked, and then coated entirely in melted dark or white chocolate. Bite through the chocolate shell and cookie layer, and you hit that bright, sweet cherry center.

The dough is a simple creamed shortening base with both vanilla and almond extract. The almond flavor pairs beautifully with the cherries and gives the cookies a more complex, bakery-quality taste. Wrapping each cherry in a thin layer of dough takes patience, but it’s straightforward. Think of it like making a tiny dumpling around each cherry.

The chocolate dipping is a two-fork job. Melt the chocolate with a little shortening for a smooth, workable coating, dip each cooled cookie, and let the excess drip off before setting on wax paper. Top white chocolate cookies with chopped pecans, and dark chocolate cookies with white chocolate shavings while the coating is still wet.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the cherries thoroughly. Wet cherries create steam pockets inside the cookie during baking, which can crack the dough. Pat each one dry with a paper towel.
• Keep the dough layer thin and even around each cherry. Too thick and the cookie is all dough. Too thin and the cherry bursts through.
• Cool cookies completely before dipping in chocolate. Warm cookies melt the coating and it slides off.
• Chill to set the chocolate. Fifteen minutes in the fridge firms the coating. Room temperature setting takes much longer and may stay tacky.

Variations

• Powdered sugar version: The recipe suggests rolling the baked cookies in icing sugar instead of chocolate for a simpler, snowball-style presentation.
• Boozy cherries: Soak the maraschino cherries in brandy or amaretto for an hour before wrapping for an adult-only holiday treat.