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5 from 1 vote

Hidden Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Hidden Cherry Shortbread Cookies are a wonderful and tasty treat! This cherry cookie has a sweet and chewy outside with a surprise fruit center.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time14 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Cookie, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Hidden Cherry Shortbread Cookies
Servings: 18
Calories: 169kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 jar maraschino cherries + 1 tbsp liquid, reserved

Cherry Frosting

  • ½ cup powder sugar
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp maraschino cherry juice

Instructions

Prep

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

Cookie dough

  • Start by softening your butter in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave, this typically takes 15-20 seconds. 
  • Then, move the butter to a large mixing bowl and whip it with a whisk for about 5 minutes. You can also use a Kitchen Aid mixer or a handheld electric mixer for this step too. The butter is whipped adequately when it looks more like whipped cream.
  • Next, lay about 20-25 maraschino cherries out on a napkin to dry. I gently pressed another napkin on top to absorb additional moisture.
  • After the butter is whipped well, add the sugar, almond extract, cornstarch and the flour and whisk well to combine. Continue to mix on high for 3-4additional minutes.

Assemble

  • If you have a 1 TBSP cookie scoop, using it makes this process very easy. Shortbread dough is very soft and buttery, so it is actually pretty difficult to shape by itself.
  • Using your cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and level it off using the side of the bowl.
  • Then, stick your thumb into the center of the scoop of leveled dough.
  • After that, put a cherry inside the thumbprint and gently press down.
  • Using the dough that has collected on the sides, cover the top of the cherry.
  • Push the lever to eject the cookie out of the scoop and into your hand, round out the cookie dough into balls. 
  • Place each ball of dough onto your prepared baking sheet about 1-2"apart. 
  • Repeat process until all cookie dough is used.

Bake

  • Put the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies begin to lightly brown.
  • Once baking is complete, remove from the oven and let them sit for a few minutes to cool down on the pan. Shortbread cookies are soft and fragile even after baking, so if you try to move them too soon, they might crack or fall apart. 

How to make Cherry Icing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and the maraschino cherry juice.
  • Then, put a plastic baggie over the top of a cup and scrape the icing into the baggie.
  • Proceed to cut a small piece off the corner from the baggie and drizzle over the top of each cookie. 
  • Serve and enjoy! 

Notes

Hidden Cherry Shortbread Cookies are a lovely and delicious treat, whip up a batch today and watch how quickly they disappear! 

Nutrition

Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 339IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg