Little drop cookies are cute as a bug, and even better if you want to add a little chocolate ganache to sweeten things up. I like ’em plain and simple — just pop one in your mouth and keep on ho ho ho-ing!
Cherry Chocolate Bites
Submitted by Kate Titus
1 cup butter
3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
1/2 cup dried Montmorency cherries, plumped in water, discard water and snip each cherry in half if they are large
1/2 cup chocolate chips – I like Ghirardelli semi sweet
About one cup of your favorite Chocolate Ganache or 3/4 cups powdered sugar and 2 tbsp cocoa – again Ghirardelli – mixed together
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Please butter and .75 cups of powdered sugar in a large bowl and beat with electrical mixer until well blended. Add vanilla and almond extracts and blend. Add flour and beat until well blended. Stir in cherries (well-drained!) and choc chips.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls (mine always come out bigger). You should have 40 balls (for me 25!). Place balls on un-greased baking sheet about 1.5 inches apart (2″ for the bigger size). Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Let cool about 5 minutes if using the powdered sugar/cocoa blend. If so, roll in that mixture while still warm. Let dry and roll again. If using the ganache, wait til the cookies are completely cool and dip one side on the ball in the ganache. Ganache needs to be a soft but firm consistency. I like to put these in small paper cookie cups to catch the ganache for eating! A les délices!