White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread
December 18, 2006 by Andrea 
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Filed under Dessert, Holidays
Every year in early November I begin planning for Christmas baking. I go through our recipes for cookies and candies and make a list of goodies for the holidays. Buckeyes and thumbprint cookies always make the list, as well as gingerbread men, although this year’s gingerbread men were not as good as other years. I tried a new recipe, but I was not pleased with it so it went into the circular file.
I like to try at least one completely new cookie each year, so I stay on the lookout for something interesting. I saw this cookie on the Better Homes and Gardens website and just couldn’t pass it up. The color of the cherries looked so pretty with the white chocolate, but I thought I could change a few things to make the preparation easier and the ingredients better. So even though I already had a shortbread cookie for this year, I decided to make these for our new cookies. Michael kept checking in as I was dipping them in the white chocolate, obviously quite interested. One broke while I was dipping it, so we ate the defective one, and with his mouth full he said, “Wow.” Later when the chocolate was set, he came back and got another one and proclaimed these to be “a forever cookie,” meaning these will now go on the Christmas regulars list.
The original recipe called for red food coloring (optional), but I used a couple drops of the maraschino cherry juice since it adds both color and flavor. Shortbread cookies are easy to make, although the dough tends to be crumbly. If yours seem extra crumbly, hold each piece of dough in your hand for about 30 seconds, allowing your natural heat to help soften the butter and form the balls.
Makes about 3 dozen.
[Updated April 20, 2008.]
Equipment
2 cookie sheets, not greased
food processor with blade attachment
medium mixing bowl
#60 cookie scoop (equals 2 teaspoons)
drinking glass with flat bottom
small sauce pan or microwave proof bowl
Ingredients
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
2-1/2 cups (375 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (88 grams) granulated sugar
2 sticks (450 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small squares
12 ounces (340 grams) white baking chocolate, finely chopped (I use Ghirardelli.)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 drops cherry juice
small dish with granulated sugar for dipping
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
White nonpareils, red sparkling sugar, or red edible glitter (optional)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Add the flour and sugar to the bowl of the food processor and pulse for a couple seconds until combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembled fine crumbs, about 10 pulses.
3. Pour the flour mixture into the medium mixing bowl. Stir in the chopped cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in the almond extract and the cherry juice. Mix with your hands until it forms a smooth ball, about 5 minutes. You may have to press on the dough to make it form a ball. Wrap the dough up in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Scoop out dough, about 2 teaspoons for each cookie, and shape it into balls. Hold each dough ball in your hand for about 15 to 20 seconds to let your body heat help hold the dough together. Place balls 2 inches apart on the ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in water and sugar, flatten each ball to about 1/4-inch high. If the edges crack, press the cracks back together with your fingers.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 3 to 4 minutes on the cookie sheet to let the bottoms finish setting, and then transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
6. In a small saucepan, add the remaining 8 ounces of chopped white chocolate and the butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Or microwave the chocolate and butter for 1 minute at 70% and stir, and then microwave in 10 to 15 second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate is smooth with only a few chunks remaining. Stir in the remaining chunks.
7. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off. Sprinkle nonpareils or the decorative sugar on the wet chocolate. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set.
8. STORE: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container and cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Variations
Instead of scooping and rolling the dough, you can form it into a log and wrap in plastic before refrigerating. When ready to make cookies, just slice and sprinkle a little sugar on each cookie before baking.
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Source: inspired by a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens
Hello, re:White chocolate cherry shortbread cookies
I haven’t begun these cookies yet. I am curious as to what a #6o cookie scoop is. I have various sized “ice cream ” scoops and wonder how they translate . Or even what the approximate measuring spoon amount might be?
I also wonder how many cookies the recipe makes; I didn’t see on the recipe the amount made.
Wouldn’t they be beautiful given as gifts on St Valentines Day?
Tucked into little cellophane bags and tied with ribbons of pink and white? Or folded over and sealed with a handmade heart?
Peace,
Laurie
Hi Laurie! The #60 scoop equals about 2 teaspoons, so using those measurements the recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies. I’ve updated the recipe to include that information, as well as approximate yield.
Hi there,
Please can you translate the cups into measurements of grams or ounces? In England we don’t have the cup sizes, so its hard to get the quantities right. Thanks in Advance! Caroline
hi, I was wondering if you could roll out and use a cookie cuter with this recipe, thanks
Hi Andi! I haven’t made them rolled and cut, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. They do tend to be a little sticky, so keep that in mind as you roll. You might even be able to just pat it out with your hands, but I would do it in small amounts rather than rolling or patting out the whole batch. Let me know how it turns out!
I made these cookies tonight. Actually, I made the dough 2 days ago, pressed them into a log. Tonight, I brought them to room temp for about an hour, sliced them and baked them. They turned out perfectly!
I had to hide them so that my son and husband would pilfer the whole lot– they are for gifts tomorrow!