Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Cherry Shortbread Cookies - Basic shortbread cookie dough with maraschino cherries and white chocolate chips. Perfect for Christmas baking!

Shortbread cookie dough is HARD and can be quite intimidating to work with if you’ve never made it before. I’m not trying to scare you away from trying this recipe out so don’t click away so fast. 🙂 In fact, the first couple of tries, I thought I had screwed up because the dough wasn’t moist enough to work with. After watching a couple of videos on youtube, you can add very cold water to the dough or make sure the ratio of butter, sugar, and flour are spot on. Some recipes call for cold butter and others call for room temperature butter. It gets really confusing trying to make sense of it all but a stand mixer or handheld works very well with these cookies.

My most favorite chef of all Ina Garten has a very good Shortbread cookie dough recipe and the trick is the dough has to be COLD to work with. If you work with it warm you will have some pretty flat and melted cookies. I made this mistake the first time I made them. 

After you master making shortbread cookie dough you can add whatever you like to the cookies. Maraschino cherries and white chocolate chips work so well together with this cookie. The recipe below makes 12 cookies but can easily be doubled or tripled. Living on my own, I don’t really need 24 cookies sitting around my house to tempt me with. 

What do I need to make Cherry Shortbread Cookies  

• ¼ cup  unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ Tablespoon  maraschino cherry juice
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 8 maraschino cherries (drained and chopped)
• optional: 2 ounces white chocolate chips

How to make Cherry Shortbread Cookies 

1. Using a handheld mixer, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar, vanilla and almond extract. With the mixer running on high, slowly drizzle in 1 Tablespoon of the cherry juice. Beat for 1 minute on high. Gradually add in ½ cup of flour in at a time. 
2. If your dough still isn’t coming together add in 1 tablespoon of very cold water at a time until the dough is easy to work with. 
3. Use a spatula to mix in the maraschino cherries and white chocolate chips.  Press the dough down to compact it and cover with plastic wrap to chill until firm, 2 to 3 hours (and up to 3 days). You will be tempted to make cookies right away. Do not skip out on the chilling part! 
4. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Slice the dough and place them onto the baking sheet or shape the dough into even balls. 
5. Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges. The cookies will puff up and spread slightly.  Allow the cookies to cool for at least 30 minutes before drizzling with melted white chocolate. 
6. Makes 12 cookies, the recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. 

Tips for Shortbread Cookies 

Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats for easy cleanup.

What to serve with cookies? Give these to Santa with a big glass of milk. 

Shortbread cookies can easily be frozen or made ahead of time. Store them in airtight containers or freezer bags once they are baked and completely cooled.

Other Christmas Cookie Recipes 

Stained Glass Window Cookies

Spritz Cookies 

Soft & Chewy M&M Cookies 

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies 

Christmas Cookie Bars 

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