Classic Cherry Tassies

Bake up a classic holiday treat for sharing with family and friends—or at the annual cookie exchange.

Recipe Ingredients:

48 maraschino cherries with stems (approximately two 10-ounce jars) drained with 2 tablespoons juice reserved
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt - divided use
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Lightly spray 48 mini muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray. Pat the maraschino cherries dry with paper towels.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the 1 cup of butter and cream cheese and process until blended. Add the flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the processor and blend until mixed. Do not over process. Using a small ice cream scoop or spoon, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place the balls into the prepared muffin tins. Using your thumb or the end of a French rolling pin, make and indentation in each ball.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 tablespoons reserved maraschino cherry juice, the 1 tablespoon melted butter, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Put about 3/4 teaspoon of the mixture into each dough ball indentation. Place a maraschino cherry in each cookie with the stems up.
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned and the filling is set. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of www.nationalcherries.com; through ECES, Inc., Electronic Color Editorial Services.