Cherry Almond Delights

Contributed By: Parker

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 large egg, room temperature
1 package (17-1/2 ounces) sugar cookie mix
FILLING:
1-1/2 cups slivered almonds
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
24 maraschino cherries, well-drained
Confectioners' sugar

Method:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in egg. Add cookie mix; mix well (dough will be sticky). Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
2. Place almonds and sugar in a food processor; pulse until almonds are finely chopped. Add eggs; process until mixture forms a paste. Add butter and vanilla; process until blended.
3. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-1/4-in. balls; press onto bottom and up the sides of greased mini muffin cups.
4. Place 1 Tbsp. filling in each cup. Top each with a cherry. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until edges are golden and filling is set. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Dust tops with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Helpful Hints:

A tender cream cheese dough filled with homemade almond paste and maraschino cherries makes an elegant cookie tart fit for a party.—
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 35 min. + chilling Bake: 20 min. + cooling
YIELD: about 2 dozen.
Nutrition Facts
1 cookie: 235 calories, 13g fat (5g saturated fat), 42mg cholesterol, 114mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (19g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.


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