Today is Halloween. After trick-or-treating tonight, we’ll have a crazy amount of sugar in our house. And yet, I couldn’t help myself from making these cookies today. Cherries. Almond. Chocolate? (I had to….right?)

After spending the morning watching the Halloween parade at my older children’s elementary school, I scooped my two youngest children up on the counter to help me make these delectable little cookies. I absolutely love all things cherry, and my kids loved the fun pink color. (And who can resist something with a Hershey’s kiss on top?!)

These cookies have a vintage flair and remind of something a mom in the 1960’s would have served – along side a nice JELL-O mold and a meatloaf. They’re cute, not too sweet, and a nice change-up from my usual cookie line-up.

So tonight, while my children are trading Butterfingers for Nerds and counting up their Snickers bars and Tootise Pops, I will be treating myself to a couple of these! Happy Halloween and happy baking!

cherry kiss

Ingredients

1 c. powdered sugar
1 c.  butter (Soften first!  I popped mine in the microwave for 30 seconds!)
1 T Maraschino cherry juice
1 tsp almond extract
2 1/4 Cups Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 c. Maraschino cherries (You’ll want to chop these up first. I honestly didn’t measure mine either. I figured, the more cherries the better!)
16 Hershey’s kisses
To Prepare
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix together the softened butter, powdered sugar, cherry juice, and almond extract. Now, stir in the flour and salt, and mix until well blended.
3. Stir in chopped cherries.
4. Scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet, and bake for approximately 7-9 minutes. (Oven temps will vary, so keep a close eye. Crunchy cookies are yucky!)
5. While your cookies are baking, start to unwrap your kisses.
6. When the cookies are  done, remove the pan from the oven and place one kiss in the center of each cookie, pressing down gently. (I returned my cookies to the oven for about 30-45 seconds, just to soften the kiss up a bit.)
Enjoy!!
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