Recipes and Cooking Cherry-Almond Ornament Cookies Be the first to rate & review! Pastry shop perfect, these pretty little cookies pair the super compatible flavors of cherry and almond. To keep maraschino cherries from running into the frosting, blot them dry with a paper towel before applying to the cookie top, and do so no more than a few hours before serving. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 29, 2016 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Scott Little Prep Time: 35 mins Bake Time: 14 mins Total Time: 35 mins Yield: 30 to 36 cookies Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 30 maraschino cherries with stems ¾ cup butter, softened ¼ cup cream cheese, softened (2 ounces) ½ cup sugar ½ teaspoon almond extract ¼ teaspoon salt 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup finely chopped candied cherries 1 recipe Cherry-Almond Frosting Cherry-Almond Frosting 3 ounce cream cheese, softened ¼ cup butter, softened 2 cup powdered sugar, plus 1/2 - 1 cup additional 1 tablespoon cherry liqueur or milk Directions Place maraschino cherries on paper towels to drain while preparing cookies. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl combine butter and cream cheese. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, almond extract, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in half of the flour just until combined. Beat in candied cherries and the remaining flour. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2 inch thick. Using a 1-1/2- to 2-inch fluted round cutter, cut out dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 14 to 15 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely. Pipe or spoon Cherry-Almond Frosting onto cookie centers. Top each cookie with a maraschino cherry. Cherry-Almond Frosting In a medium bowl combine cream cheese and butter. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in 2 cups powdered sugar. Beat in cherry liqueur or milk. Gradually beat in 1/2 to 1 cup additional powdered sugar to make a frosting of spreading consistency. Layer unfrosted cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw cookies, if frozen. Frost and top cookies as directed in Step 4. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 179 Calories 8g Fat 26g Carbs 1g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Calories 179 % Daily Value * Total Fat 8g 10% Saturated Fat 5g 25% Cholesterol 21mg 7% Sodium 79mg 3% Total Carbohydrate 26g 9% Total Sugars 15g Protein 1g Calcium 10.1mg 1% Iron 0.5mg 3% Potassium 26mg 1% Folate, total 20.2mcg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.