Classic Cherry Butter Cookies Recipe - from Vincent Price!
This is a cherished recipe that I have made since I was a young teen and they are wonderful! These are the cookies you may see in cookie trays this time of year - a butter cookie with the halved maraschino cherry poking out of the middle. The interesting part is the source of this recipe: I got it from watching Vincent Price make them on the old Dinah Shore show! He was quite a gourmet I guess and I remember he used to come on there and cook. We have made these ever since and they are delicious.
Classic Cherry Butter Cookies
Preheat oven to 350
1 cup butter softened (must be butter)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
halved maraschino cherries
Cream butter in large bowl. Gradually beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and almond extract. Gradually blend in flour. Chill dough for 1/2 hour for ease in handling. Then roll small spoonfuls of dough into little balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Place 1/2 cherry, cut side down, in middle of each cookie. Bake 8-10 minutes or just until bottoms are golden. remove and place on racks to cool. These are yummy!
Note: This is a lot of butter but they are not like a shortbread texture. These are more like a tea cookie or italian pastry cookie from a bakery. You CAN use these in a cookie gun but do not chill the dough first or they will be too difficult to push through. I use just regular white flour. If you are doing these as spritz watch them carefully as the spritz has a tendency to make a thinner cookie and they will probably need to bake for a shorter amount of time. Just keep an eye on them. You will not be disappointed in these - they have a delicious almond flavor - my kids love them. Also I would say bake them on the middle rack of the oven and not one of the lower racks, particularly if making as spritz. Let me know if you try them.
I use the maraschino cherries that come in the jars. I just empty the liquid, cut the cherries in half, drain them a little on some paper towels and press them cut side down into the dough.
The recipe that I copied those years ago from tv said you can form them into balls the way I do or because of the butter content and the soft nature of the dough you can use this in a cookie press and make “spritz” cookies, but dont chill the dough if you are using the cookie gun.
From “A Treasury of Great Recipes.”
By
Vincent Price