Description

Delight in these Chocolate Cherry Blossoms, tender buttery cookies infused with cherry juice and bits of maraschino cherries, topped with a rich Hershey’s Kiss and optionally drizzled with a sweet almond glaze. Perfect for festive gatherings or a special treat, these cookies combine the fruity sweetness of cherries with the deep flavor of dark chocolate in a soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons cherry juice (from the maraschino cherry jar)
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Topping

1 bag Hershey’s Kisses, dark chocolate preferred

Optional Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

Preheat oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the cookies.
Cream butter and sugar: In a mixer bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add cherries and flavorings: Mix in the cherry juice, chopped maraschino cherries, and almond extract until fully combined. You may add a few drops of food coloring if you wish to enhance the pink color of the dough.
Incorporate flour: Gradually add the flour and mix until the dough comes together. The dough will be somewhat dry but should be moist enough to form into balls. If too dry, add additional cherry juice, one teaspoon at a time.
Form cookie balls: Shape the dough into balls approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Avoid making them too small as the Hershey’s Kisses topping will dominate. Place the balls onto ungreased cookie sheets or onto sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Bake cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies turn a light golden brown.
Add chocolate kisses: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, while still warm on the baking sheet, gently press a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each cookie. Leave on the sheet for 5 minutes to allow the candies to soften slightly and adhere to the cookies.
Cool cookies: Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
Prepare and apply glaze (optional): Stir together the powdered sugar, water, and almond extract to form a smooth glaze. Drizzle this over the cooled cookies and let it set until hardened before serving.

Notes

Using dark chocolate Hershey’s Kisses creates a richer flavor contrast with the sweet cherry cookie.
If the dough feels too dry, adding more cherry juice a teaspoon at a time is recommended to maintain proper consistency.
For a deeper pink color, a few drops of red food coloring can be added to the dough.
Cookies should be baked until the edges are just golden to keep them soft inside.
Do not unwrap the Hershey’s Kisses until immediately before placing them on the warm cookies to avoid melting too early.
The glaze is optional but adds a lovely sweet almond flavor and decorative finish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chocolate cherry blossoms, cherry cookie recipe, Hershey's Kiss cookies, cherry blossom cookies, almond flavored cookies, holiday cookie recipe