White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

This is a recipe we found on Better Homes & Gardens and every one ranted and raved about this being the BEST Christmas cookie of 2011, so we tried it!

White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

Makes: 60 servings
Prep: 40 mins
Bake: 325°F 10 minsper batch
Stand: 30 mins

Ingredients
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 teaspoons shortening
White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.
3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

Storage: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

nutrition facts (White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread)
Servings Per Recipe 60, Calories 87, Protein (gm) 1, Carbohydrate (gm) 9, Fat, total (gm) 5, Cholesterol (mg) 9, Saturated fat (gm) 3, Vitamin A (IU) 97, Sodium (mg) 28, Calcium (DV %) 10, Iron (DV %) 0, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet



Our review? They were a different mix to our bunches of cookies. It is definitely a thicker shortbread cookies, so the white chocolate is necessary. I liked the cherry taste, but some others didn't. My only problem was in the dipping of the cookies in the white chocolate: the chocolate was too runny and would need to harden some before I did the sprinkles, but even after that, the cookies didn't fully harden till HOURS later. We had NO room in the freezer or fridge... so they just stayed out for a long time. They may make it into the yearly cookies bunch, or may not. We shall see how others feel about it next year :)