Merry Poppins
by Lana Moran VanMeter
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter or margarine
- 1-3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. almond flavoring
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup ground almonds
- 1 dark chocolate Hershey Bar - grated or ground
- 48 maraschino "bounce" cherries (see below)
Directions
- Line plate or pan with paper towels. Place 48 "bounce" cherries to drain and dry, while making cookie dough.
- Cream butter and 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Add salt and flavorings; mix well.
- Combine flour and ground almonds. Add alternately to butter mixture with chocolate. Blend well.
- Wrap approximately 1 tsp. of dough around a cherry. Roll into ball and place on non-stick foil lined cookie sheet. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes.
- Roll hot cookies in 1 cup powdered sugar; cool completely. Roll cooled cookies in 1/2 cup powdered sugar, mix with 1/2 tsp. gold dust, if desired. Sprinkle with gold leaf stars.
Cherry Bounce Ingredients
- 2-10 oz. bottles of maraschino cherries
- 2-4 T. Disaronno, Amaretto, or other desired spirits
Cherry Bounce Directions
- Remove 1-2 T of cherry juice per jar and replace with spirits. Re-cap and shake. Let "ripen" in refrigerator for 24 hours or up to 3 months.
- Note: use cherries and juice in fruitcakes, cookies, candies, beverages, etc…
Yield: 48 cookies
