Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies

I first saw these little Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies at Christmas and thought they'd be perfect for Valentine's Day. I loved the bites of cherry! I will say while we all enjoyed these cookies, they did not turn out like the ones on Pinterest. So I have some notes below. And if your first batch happens to flatten out and doesn't resemble a thumbprint cookie at all (as mine did)... Roll with it and call them Cherry Shortbread Cookies, they still taste good:@)

Notes:

• The cookies in the link are a beautiful pink color, mine are not. Pink would have been perfect for Valentines's Day. So I recommend that if your cookies stay white after mixing in the cherries, add a drop or two of red food coloring (or better yet, just add it while creaming the butter and sugar). 
• Be sure to chill your dough. I put the bowl in the fridge while the first batch baked, and then put the baking sheet in the fridge for 5-10 minutes after I rolled the balls. It held a thumbprint shape better.
• Keep your balls small. Set a Hershey Kiss on the counter, it will help with perspective.
• Drain your cherries well, I pressed them between a couple paper towels.
• Chop the cherries. I kept mine a rough dice, maybe cutting each cherry into four pieces. I thought the mixer would break them up more, it didn't. 
• I rolled them in granulated sugar, they might be prettier rolled in sanding sugar.
• Last note, these are fairly crisp once they cool off right out of the oven. They soften with time because the cherries have moisture in them. I think these are best eaten the day they're made-but that won't be a problem:@)

Cherry Chocolate Kiss Cookies
1 C butter, softened
1 C powdered sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp maraschino cherry juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 C A/P flour
10 oz jar maraschino cherries, drained reserving 2 tsp juice
granulated sugar for coating the cookies
36 Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped

1. Chop the cherries, set aside. 
2. Mix butter, sugar and salt until creamy.
3. Add cherry juice and extract, mix well.
4. Add flour, mix well. Then mix in the cherries.
5. Form dough into 1" balls and roll in sugar.
6. Place on baking sheet 2" apart. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie until it's about 1/2" thick.
7. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove from oven, add a Kiss to each cookie, return to oven for 1-2 minutes more (until bottoms are lightly browned).
8. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Enjoy a cookie and have a happy day:@)

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