Maraschino Cherry Almond Cookies

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup chopped drained maraschino cherries
• royal icing:
• 2 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Recipe

Cook Time: 12 mins Ready Time: 1 hr 30 mins


• place the butter in a mixing bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. gradually beat in 2/3 cup of confectioners' sugar, then add almond extract, eggs, and salt, and beat until the mixture is fluffy and well combined, about 3 more minutes. reduce mixer speed to medium, and gradually beat in flour until the dough is smooth, about 1 minute. gently stir in the maraschino cherries.
• form the dough into 2 logs about 1 inch in diameter, roll each log in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c). line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
• cut each dough log into about 25 slices about 1/2-inch thick, and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between each cookie.
• bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set but not browned, 12 to 14 minutes. remove to cooling racks to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• to make icing, beat egg whites with lemon juice until frothy, about 1 minute, then beat in vanilla extract and confectioners' sugar, a cupful at a time, until the icing is smooth and spreadable. spread about 1 teaspoon of icing on each cooled cookie, and let the icing harden before stacking.