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Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes |
Ready In: 30 Minutes Servings: 36 |
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To make these, I adapted a traditional cherry blossom cookie recipe by leaving out the lemon zest and adding food coloring, sprinkles and almond extract to create a more festive look and flavor. When I took a batch to a cookie exchange party, everyone raved about them. Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened |
1/2 cup sugar |
1 egg |
1 tablespoon milk |
1/2 teaspoon almond extract |
1/2 teaspoon cherry or vanilla extract |
5 to 10 drops red food coloring, optional |
1-3/4 cups king arthur unbleached all-purpose flour |
1 teaspoon baking powder |
1/4 teaspoon salt |
1/2 cup candied cherry halves |
pink or red sprinkles, optional |
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk, extracts and food coloring if desired. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
2. Roll dough into 1-1/4-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. With floured kitchen scissors, snip the top of each ball in half, cutting three-fourths of the way through. Cut each half into thirds; carefully spread the wedges apart, forming flower petals.
3. Place a cherry half in the center of each; top with sprinkles if desired. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 1-2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: about 3 dozen.
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