Jessica from Pen N’ Paperflowers and Kim from The TomKat Studio are hosting a fun Bloggers + Bakers Holiday Cookie Exchange this week and I’m excited to be a part of it today!

I wanted to do something a little different and decided to try out a White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread recipe I’ve been eyeing for a while.This was my first try at this recipe, and I’m happy to report they were quick to make and turned out very yummy, especially if you’re a shortbread fan! I also opted for an easier decorating method than the half-dipped look from the original BHG recipe. After struggling with getting the dipping lines to look “clean” on a few, I decided that just piping frosting in the centers of the other 47 cookies would make life a WHOLE lot easier….and they still taste the same. ;)

CREATIVE COOKIE PACKAGING

To add a fun twist for holiday gifting, I also came up with an easy way to package them up to look like a pair of cherries using red cocktail napkins and floral wire + a free holiday gift tag “leaf” that you can download right here. Hope you like!

Scroll down for the full recipes, and check out a list of all the creative ladies involved in the virtual cookie exchange below – just click on a link to view their creations. Happy baking…and gifting! :)

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

{adapted from BHG}

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup cold butter
• 4 ounces white chocolate baking squares or white chocolate chips, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 drops red food coloring (optional)
• White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)
• White Candy Melts (1 bag)*

* You can also substitute 8 0z white chocolate + 2 tsp shortening for the White Candy Melts.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.
3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
5. Melt white candy melts according to directions. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off OR pipe circles on top with a pastry bag. If desired, embellish with nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set.

Makes about 50 cookies.

CHERRY COOKIE GIFT PACKAGING

You’ll need:

• red cocktail napkins
• floral wire
• wire cutters
• red yarn
• hot glue (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place a saran-wrapped stack of 3 cookies in the center of a completely open, unfolded cocktail napkin.
2. Gather the napkin around the cookie stack and twist at the top. Secure the twist with yarn, and trim excess napkin to shorten the “twist”.
3. Add a dab of hot glue inside the “twist” and insert one end your floral wire “stem”. Repeat with a 2nd “cherry” to form a pair.
4. Cut holiday gift tag “leaves” to attach to the top of the stems. Download them for free right here!

MORE COOKIE EXCHANGE INSPIRATION

Here’s a list of the other ladies involved in the cookie exchange. Click on a link to view their creations!

• Carrie | Half Baked :: The Cake Blog
• Glory | Glorious Treats
  
• Jamie | My Baking Addiction
• Marian | Sweetopia
• Kim | The TomKat Studio
• Jessica | Pen N’ Paperflowers