Christmas Cherry Cookies

I have a shameful, dirty little secret: I love candied cherries. They are bizarre and the green ones are so ridiculously unnatural, but I love them. They remind me of Christmas morning – when my family would always have a stollen, covered in frosting and candied cherries, waiting to be consumed! I smiled when I saw this recipe on the Pioneer Woman’s website last week and had to share it!

Christmas Cherry Cookies
Recipe source: The Pioneer Woman
Print Recipe

2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 whole egg yolks, stirred
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted twice
Candied red and green cherries

1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
2. Add egg yolks, vanilla, orange peel, lemon peel, and lemon juice, and mix until combined. Scrape bowl with a spatula and then mix again.
3. Add sifted flour and mix until combined. Place dough in a ziploc bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until firm.
4. When ready to make the cookies, preheat oven to 300F. Cut candied cherries in half.
5. Roll the dough into small balls and set on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper; gently press the cherry halves, cut side down, into each ball.
6. Bake for 20 minutes, removing from oven before they start to brown. Cool on a wire rack.



4 thoughts on “Christmas Cherry Cookies”

  • Are these cookies soft or crunchy. I had a similar family recipe that was a soft cookie and I have misplaced it. I’m hoping this recipe is a soft cookie

    • They are more crumbly than anything else — because of the butter content, they are reminiscent of a shortbread cookie. Hope that helps!

  • I prefer a softer cookie, too! I think you can control how soft or how crisp these cookies can be by experimenting with the length of time the cookies are in the oven. The less you bake it the softer and chewier it will be. The longer you bake it the more crisp they will be. Watch them closely and you will find the exactly right time to bake.

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