's Cherry Bites

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened to room temp
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup almonds, finely ground
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (6 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, well drained and finely chopped
• powdered sugar, for rolling baked cookies

Recipe

• 1 with an electric mixer, beat the butter at high speed until it is light and fluffy.
• 2 gradually add the sugar and blend well.
• 3 add the almond extract and mix until well blended.
• 4 in a separate bowl, combine the flour, almonds and salt, whisking together until well blended.
• 5 add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend well.
• 6 once your cherries are well drained, dry them with paper towels to make sure there is little or no moisture.
• 7 gently fold the chopped cherries into the mix.
• 8 roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place them 1 in apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet or one that has been lined with parchment paper.
• 9 bake at 325 degress for 15-18 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is lightly browned.
• 10 cool for 3-4 minutes on a cookie sheet.
• 11 roll each cookie in powdered sugar until well coated, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack until completely cooled.