Chocolate-Covered Cherry Thumbprints

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 15 min. + cooling

Makes

2 dozen

Updated: Jun. 27, 2023
When I dig out my best cookie recipes, I'm reminded of baking with my children when they were little. These thumbprints with cherries elicit such sweet memories. –Deborah Puette, Lilburn, Georgia
Chocolate-Covered Cherry Thumbprints Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup shortening
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg, separated, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup finely chopped salted roasted almonds
  • FILLING:
  • 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
  • 2 teaspoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon 2% milk
  • TOPPINGS:
  • 24 maraschino cherries
  • 4 ounces milk chocolate candy coating, melted

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, shortening, brown sugar and salt until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, until easy to handle, 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-1/4-in. balls. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Place almonds in a separate shallow bowl. Dip balls in egg white; roll in almonds.
  3. Place balls 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb. Bake until edges are light brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks.
  4. In a small bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, cherry juice, butter and milk until smooth. Fill each cookie with 1/4 tsp. filling. Top with 1 cherry and drizzle with candy coating. Let stand until set.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 145 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 14mg cholesterol, 75mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.