Name: Holiday Cherry Balls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 32 min
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups oil; 2 eggs; ½ cup milk; ½ the juice of a 10 oz bottle of maraschino cherries; 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract; 5–5 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup sugar; 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; Red food colouring (to desired blush-red colour); ¼ of a 10 oz bottle of maraschino cherries, chopped; Nuts, chopped (optional); 1 ½ cups powdered sugar; ½ teaspoon almond extract; Enough cherry juice (from the maraschino cherries) and water to thin the glaze to proper consistency

Description

Festive, fruity, and easy to bake, these Cherry Balls are chewy cookies made with maraschino cherries, nuts (optional), and a light cherry glaze. A holiday classic that looks beautiful and tastes even better.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookies:

1 ¼ cups oil

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ the juice of a 10 oz bottle of maraschino cherries

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

5–5 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Red food colouring (to desired blush-red colour)

¼ of a 10 oz bottle of maraschino cherries, chopped

Nuts, chopped (optional)

Icing / Glaze:

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon almond extract

Enough cherry juice (from the maraschino cherries) and water to thin the glaze to proper consistency

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 °F (≈ 175 °C). In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, eggs, milk, cherry juice (½ the bottle), and vanilla or almond extract.
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in another bowl and sift thoroughly.
Add red food colouring to the wet mixture until you reach your desired colour. Then gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring steadily until incorporated.
Stir in the chopped maraschino cherries and the chopped nuts (if using). The dough will be thick.
Form the dough into balls and place them on a baking sheet (lined or lightly greased) spaced appropriately.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze: combine the powdered sugar and almond extract, then add cherry juice and water until you reach a glaze consistency. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze and allow it to set. Optionally, add sprinkles or additional chopped nuts before the glaze firms.

Notes

You can customize the glaze consistency, swap the extract flavors, and skip food coloring for a natural look. Dough can be made a day ahead.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cookies

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 977 kcal
Sugar: 56 g
Carbohydrates: 117 g
Protein: 13 g