Cherry Blossom Cookie Food

CHERRY BLOSSOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350' F. Beat butter in a mixing bowl on medium high speed for 30 seconds.
• Add powdered sugar and salt; beat until combined.
• Beat in cherry liquid and almond extract until combined.
• Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the remaining flour and the cherries with a wooden spoon.
• Chill dough for at least an hour.
• Unwrap all the Hersey kisses and set aside.
• Shape dough into 1 inch balls, rolling them in your hand.
• Gently flatten the balls into a disk.
• Dip in granulated sugar, covering all sides of the dough.
• Place balls 2 inches apart on a un-greased cookie sheet.
• Bake cookies 10-14 minutes just until the bottom edges are lightly browned.
• Remove each baking sheet of cookies from the oven and immediately press a Hersey kiss into the middle of the hot cookies.
• Let cool about five minutes and carefully move the cookies to a cooling rack with out disturbing the soft Hersey kiss. (see notes).
• Cool completely before storing in a single layer in an air tight container.

CHERRY KISS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter, confectioners' sugar and salt until blended. Beat in cherry juice, extract and, if desired, food coloring. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in cherries., Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. , Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into center of each cookie (cookie will crack around edges). Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CHERRY CORDIAL KISS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixing bowl beat butter for 30 seconds on med-high speed. Add powdered sugar and salt beating until combined (scrape sides of bowl). Beat in the cherry liquid and almond extract. Beat in as much flour as you can then use a spoon to mix any remaining flour and the chopped cherries.
• Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar, flatten the balls until they are about 1/2 inch thick. Bake 14 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Right away place a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

CHERRY-CHOCOLATE BLOSSOMS

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, cherry liquid, almond extract and food color; blend well.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• Add flour and salt; mix well.
• Stir in cherries.
• If dough is too dry, add a little more cherry liquid until dough holds together when shaped.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are just slightly brown.
• Immediately top each cookie with a chocolate candy, pressing down firmly.
• Remove from cookie sheets and cool.

CHERRY BLOSSOM COOKIES

Steps:

• Sugar Cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, egg, and brandy and continue beating until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beating until just combined. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Use a 2 5/8-inch square cutter to cut out squares. Reroll scraps once (you should have about 16 cookies). Transfer to prepared sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Bake until set and golden around edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cool completely.
• Royal Icing: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Reduce speed to low and add confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium-high between each addition, until mixture has consistency of shampoo. Add lemon juice. Tint with pink food color until desired shade is reached. Transfer mixture to a shallow bowl. If not using immediately, icing can be stored at room temperature, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, up to 2 days, or in refrigerator, well wrapped in plastic, up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Working with one cookie at a time, dip cookie top-side down in icing to completely coat surface, allowing excess glaze to drip back into bowl. Invert cookie and clean edges with your finger, if desired. Transfer to a wire rack or baking sheet and let stand at room temperature until completely dry, at least 12 hours and up to overnight. Reserve remaining icing for decorations, at room temperature, with plastic wrap pressed directly on surface, or in refrigerator, well wrapped in plastic. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Stir additional confectioners' sugar into icing until it has consistency of toothpaste. Divide mixture into 3 portions and tint with pink food color until 3 desired shades are reached. Transfer each color to a piping bag fitted with a small plain round or star tip (such as Ateco #2, #3, or #13).
• Place luster dust in a small bowl. Stir in vodka, a little at a time, until mixture has consistency of thick watercolor paint. Using a small food-safe paintbrush, paint a tree branch design on surface of each cookie. Using the 3 shades of pink icing, pipe small blossoms on branches. Let stand at room temperature until completely dry, about 4 hours. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.