Cherry Cordial Cookies

As any of you who have been reading for a while know, I love chocolate and fruit together.  So I had to make these cookies.  I made them on Friday for home fellowship.  My friend Barbie (formerly mentioned in a previous blog post) was here for the afternoon and she helped me make these.  From Simple & Delicious Oct/Nov 2012.

Cherry Cordial Cookies
1 pkg (17 1/2 oz) sugar cookie mix (you could use your own sugar cookie recipe, too)
3/4 cup chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
3/4 cup cherry preserves (I used Polaner All Fruit)
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup white baking chips

Place cookie mix, cherries, butter, and egg in a large bowl, beat until well mixed.  Shape into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until edges are browned.  Meanwhile, place cherry preserves in a small microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  Stir in chocolate chips until melted.  If necessary, microwave in 10 to 20 second intervals until chips are melted; stir until blended.

When cookies are done, make an indentation in the center of each warm cookie using the back of a tablespoon (this didn't work for us; too much cookie stuck to the spoon.  We used a small Tupperware tool [okay, it was a little pill holder I got from a grab bag at a party][and it was Barbie's idea] to make the indentation).  Fill indentations with cherry mixture.  Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Microwave white baking chips until melted.  Drizzle over cookies.  Let stand until set.

Barbie and I made the executive decision not to add the white chocolate drizzle.  The cookies didn't need it; they tasted great without it.  The reason we know this is because one "broke" and we had to try it.  And we were already speculating about how we would transport these cookies, because we knew if we stacked them, some of the filling from the bottom cookies would get on the ones above them.  But to transport them in a single layer would have required like 6 plates.  So we decided to skip the white drizzle and stack them a little, figuring that people probably wouldn't mind if some of the filling mingled.

Additionally, we had about 1/3 to 1/2 of the filling left after all the indentations were filled.  We made the cookies the recommended size, and they say the yield for this recipe is 3 1/2 dozen.  We got 31 cookies, counting the one that broke.  So I think you could easily use 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of cherry preserves and be fine.  For the extra filling, I have plans to remelt it some night and dip pretzels in it.  Mmmmm.

Now, how did people like them?  Some of the kids at HF didn't.  But the grown ups did.  Even Nick, who doesn't like fruit, liked them.  Today I brought the leftovers to my mom's house, and all the adults there except my sister liked them.  I don't know why she didn't.  Her tastebuds are off right now because she is cutting waaaay back on her diet pepsi intake.  She is just starting to know what food tastes like, so it will take some time.  I will definitely make these again, I was very happy with how they turned out.