These cookies are perfect for any occasion, from holiday parties to an afternoon tea. They are one of the kids favorites and I often bake and ship them to them for birthdays.

Shortbread is such a popular cookie and with good reason. These buttery melt-in-your mouth gems are made into a thicker, tender cookie with a slight outer crunch to them.

The History of a Shortbread Cookie

Did you know shortbread cookies have a rich history that dates back to medieval Scotland? The first recorded recipe for shortbread can be found in a cookbook called “The Cook and Confectioner’s Dictionary” by John Nott, which was published over 300 years ago in 1723. Shortbread was traditionally made with just three ingredients – butter, flour, and sugar – and was often served as a special treat during holidays and celebrations.

Of course, like anything, over time, shortbread has evolved to include a variety of flavors and ingredients, including chocolate chips and maraschino cherries.

Today, shortbread is enjoyed all over the world, and there are countless variations of this classic cookie. I’d love to hear some of yours in the comments below!

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Maraschino Shortbread Cookies

• Butter: Butter adds richness and is one of the major ingredients in shortbread cookie. Use a high quality butter. Unsalted butter. If you use salted, omit the salt.
• Powder sugar: Confectioners sugar absorbs moisture from other ingredients and helps give that chewy texture.
• Salt: Salt enhances and balances the other flavors. Omit the salt if you use salted butter.
• Vanilla: Prevents the cookie from tasting flat. Adds a warm flavor and enhances other flavors.
• Flour: All purpose flour forms the structure of the cookie dough.
• Chocolate chips: Semi sweet chocolate chips add a deep, rich chocolate element.
• Cherries: Maraschino cherries are what adds some sweetness to this cookie. I usually chop each cherry into 4 pieces.
• Nuts: I like to add some chopped pecans to half my cherry cookies for those nut enthusiasts in the family.

How to Make Chocolate and Cherry Cookies

1. Cream butter until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually add powder sugar.
3. Mix in vanilla and salt.
4. Slowly add flour, mixing between each addition.
5. Mix in chocolate chips.
6. Gently fold in maraschino cherries.
7. Add pecans, if desired.
8. Bake until right before they begin to color.

Different Ways to Make this Cookie

Drop Cookies: For years I made this cookie by scooping the dough with a spoon and dropping it onto my baking sheet. This makes for a really thick, unstructured cookie. I know, right! There is nothing more scrumptious than biting into a thick cookie that has a tender inside with a crunchy outside, but there are other ways to make this cookie.

Round: Some years back I started pressing the dough down with a glass. This works really well as the cookie doesn’t spread much during baking. Your cookie literally bakes up as thick as when you pressed it down.

Round Slice-n-bake: Roll dough to create a uniform log. Refrigerate at least an hour or up to 2 days to hold it’s shape. Slice log 1/2 inch thick with a sharp knife and bake. (You can freeze for up to a month.)

Square Slice-n-bake: Lightly dust wax paper with flour or powder sugar and press your dough 1/2 inch thick, into a square or rectangle. Cover and chill for 1 hour or up to 2 days. (You can also freeze for up to 1 month.) Simply take out of refrigerator and cut into square slices with a sharp knife. Place on sheet and bake.

Pan: If you were looking for a no-fuss bar cookie, these chocolate chip maraschino cherry shortbread cookies fit the bill. Simply add 8-10 minutes onto the baking time. Test with a toothpick just like you would a cake.

Storing the Shortbread Cookies

These cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7-10 days. Place in freezer safe bags and store for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter for 15-20 minutes before eating.

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Chocolate Chip Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Chocolate chip maraschino cherry shortbread cookies are a decadent treat that combines the rich flavors of chocolate and the sweetness of maraschino cherries with the buttery, crumbly texture of a shortbread cookie.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate chip, maraschino cherry, shortbread cookies

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Servings 20 cookies

Calories 221kcal

Author Sharon Knott

Ingredients

• 1 cups butter softened
• 1 cups powdered confectioner’s sugar
• 1.25 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 0.33 cup maraschino cherries about 8 ounces, drained and chopped
• 0.25 cup pecans optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cream margarine for 1 minute.
• Gradually add powdered confectioner’s sugar.
• Beat in vanilla and salt.
• Gradually add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing between each addition just until flour is blended. Dough will be stiff.
• Mix in chocolate chips. Add chopped pecans if desired.
• Gently fold in chopped maraschino cherries.
• Space cookies about 1-2 inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes. I like to take these cookies out just before they become a light golden color. They will continue cooking and be more tender.

Cookie Dough Options

• Round Cookies-Use a cookie scoop to make round shaped cookies; slightly press down with a glass before baking. Dust your glass bottom with powder sugar if it begins to stick.
• Drop Cookies-Non uniform shapes. Use a spoon to drop dough onto baking sheet. Slightly press in top of each cookie before baking.
• Round Slice-N-Bake-Roll dough to create a uniform log. Refrigerate at least an hour or up to 2 days to hold it's shape. Slice log 1/4 inch thick with a sharp knife and bake. (You can freeze for up to a month.)
• Square Slice-N-Bake-Lightly dust wax paper with flour or powder sugar and press your dough 1/2 inch thick, into a square or rectangle. Cover and chill for 1 hour or up to 2 days. (You can also freeze for up to 1 month.) Simply take out of refrigerator and cut into square slices with a sharp knife. Place on sheet and bake.

Nutrition

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 291IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Chocolate Chip Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies first appeared on Plated for Two.

The post Chocolate Chip Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies appeared first on Plated for Two.

Soft, tender, peanut butter blossom cookies topped with a single chocolate kiss are as synonymous with Christmas as presents under the tree. If you’re a true chocolate and peanut butter lover, you won’t be waiting until the holidays to make these!

Growing up, every cookie plater I ever saw at Christmas, had one of these peanut butter gems on it. It was one of the first cookies I reached for. I mean, what kid doesn’t like that little chocolate kiss on top!

This recipe calls for the chocolate kiss to be added immediately after the cookies comes out of the oven. At this point your cookies will still have a slightly rounded appearance. The cookie will flatten slightly as you press the kiss into the center which gives your cookie that beautiful “crackle” appearance on the sides.

Let me tell you, these cookies are always chewy! The key to any chewy cookie is taking it out on time, which is usually 1-2 minutes before they are truly done. Don’t worry, they will finish cooking as they sit.

Crispy, crumbly cookies have their place, but not here.

Peanut Butter Blossom Ingredients

• Sugars: This recipe has equal amounts of granulated sugar and brown sugar.
• Butter: Use regular salted butter in this recipe. If you use unsalted, add 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
• Egg yolks: Bring your egg yolks to room temperature.
• Peanut butter: The most important ingredient in these cookies. Do not use a natural peanut butter that contains oil that you have to mix.
• Flour: All-purpose flour.
• Leavening: Both baking soda and baking powder are used to achieve maximum rise.
• Chocolate kisses: They wouldn’t be “blossom” cookies without something in the middle.

How to Make Peanut Butter Blossoms

1. Mix sugars, butter, egg yolks and peanut butter.
2. Blend in flour, baking soda and baking power.
3. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to grab some dough.
4. Roll dough into a ball.
5. Dip dough ball into sugar, covering completely.
6. Place on baking sheet line with parchment paper.
7. Bake until tender.
8. Immediately press kisses into center once you remove the cookies.
9. Cool slightly before transferring them to a cooking rack.

Avoiding Hard Cookies

A good peanut butter blossom cookie is one that is tender, not hard. This cookie becomes hard for one of three reasons.

1. Recipe error: The flour to sugar ratio was too high.
2. Oven error: It was baked at too low of a temperature which requires a longer bake time.
3. Over baked: Remove cookies 1-2 minutes before they are done. You should be able to press lightly on the cookie and have it indent only where you pressed. I’ll admit, I just stick my finger in the oven to do this, but you can use the tip of a spoon. If the side of the cookie caves in instead, it has to cook longer.

Variations for Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

SUGAR: Use a colored sugar when you roll your cookies prior to baking. Red and green look practically festive, but you could opt for a silver or gold as well.

NUTS: Roll your dough ball in crushed nuts after you roll it in sugar.

CHOCOLATE: Chocolate kisses come in 14 different flavors to be exact! However, I think that only a handful of those would pair well with peanut butter. If you want to depart from the regular chocolate kiss, try one of the peppermint, candy cane, chocolate with almond, cookies and cream, or chocolate kiss filled with caramel as options.

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Peanut Butter Blossoms

Soft, tender, peanut butter blossom cookies topped with a single chocolate kiss are as synonymous with Christmas as presents under the tree.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate kiss, christmas cookie, peanut butter blossom

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 12 cookies

Calories 167kcal

Author Sharon Knott

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter (salted)
• 2 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 12 chocolate kisses

Dusting Sugar

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, egg yolks and peanut butter.
• Blend in flour, baking soda and baking powder. This dough is very dense so it should look like medium size crumbles when mixed.
• Use a 1.5-inch cookie scoop, pressing your dough firmly into the scoop (if you don't have a cookie scoop, use a spoon.) Level off the dough then release into the palm of your hand and roll until round. I like to roll all my cookies first, then go back and roll in the dusting sugar.

Dusting Sugar

• Pour 2 tablespoons of sugar into a small bowl.
• Thoroughly roll each cookie in the sugar and place on the cookie sheet. Since the cookies don't spread while baking you don't have to space them as far apart as the typical cookie.
• Bake until lightly golden brown but do not over bake.

Topping with the Kiss

• Unwrap your chocolate kisses while the cookies are baking so they are ready to use. Placing them on the cookie while it is still hot is the key to it adhering to the cookie and not falling off.
• Immediately after removing the pan from the oven, gently press one chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Press until the cookie is flattened to the desired thickness. (Don't try to reposition the chocolate once you have inserted it into the hot cookie or you will get a melt mark and the visual won't look as clean.)
• Cool cookie slightly before transferring to cooling rack.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 159IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies first appeared on Plated for Two.

The post Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies appeared first on Plated for Two.

What I love about this cookie, besides the chocolate and vanilla in every bite, is the many designs you can create with the dough. While this recipe gives detailed instructions on making the attractive checkerboard pattern, you can head on over to my Chocolate and Vanilla Pinwheel Cookies and see five other design options complete with pictures and instructions.

True confession here, these are one of my favorite cookies and I double or triple this cookie at Christmas and tuck the extra away in the freezer so I have my own stash! That way I can take a few out at a time and enjoy them every day.

How to Make Chocolate and Vanilla Checkerboard Cookies

1. Cream butter and sugar together, beat in egg yolk, set aside.
2. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl.
3. Whisk milk and vanilla in small cup.
4. Alternate wet and dry ingredients with the butter, sugar and egg yolk.
5. Divide dough in half, adding two tablespoons to one side.
6. Mix unsweetened cocoa powder with oil and add to smaller dough.
7. Roll each dough into a cylinder then square it up.
8. Cover and chill dough two hours or overnight.
9. Take out dough and cut each lengthwise into three slices.
10. Cut each of the three slices into 3 strips, lengthwise.
11. Alternate chocolate and vanilla strips for each row.
12. Continue to stack into desired rows and columns.
13. Chill again for an hour or overnight.
14. Take out dough and slice into cookies.
15. Bake and let cool on cookie sheet slightly before removing.

Checkerboard Cookie Ingredients

Butter: Be sure to let the butter sit out to bring to room temperature. You can use salted or unsalted in this recipe.
Sugar: Granulated sugar.
Egg: Bring your egg to room temperature by putting it in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes. A room temperature egg will mix better with the room temperature butter.
Flour: All-purpose flour.
Baking Powder: Since this is baking powder and not the more commonly used baking soda, make sure your container has not expired.
Salt: Salt helps bring out the other flavors. If you use salted butter instead of unsalted you can chose to use this additional salt or not. It won’t make your cookie taste too salty to add it here as well.
Milk: Since we cut back on part of the egg, milk is used to assist in holding the ingredients together. You can use 1%, 2%, whole milk or even almond milk.
Vanilla: Adds that warm, wonderful flavor. Use real vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Chocolate: Using unsweetened chocolate doesn’t happen often in a recipe so I skip the box of squares that expire far sooner and go for the unsweetened cocoa in the powder form with the much longer shelf life. Three tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa mixed with one tablespoon of oil will equal one square of unsweetened. If you do opt for the squares keep them in the refrigerator.

How the Dough Begins for Checkerboard Cookies

This post walks you through how to make the checkerboard pattern for your chocolate and vanilla checkerboard cookies.

No matter which design you decide to make, the dough for these chocolate and vanilla cookies always starts out the same. Here I will walk you through this design, it’s easier than you think!

After making the initial dough in vanilla and dividing it in half, take two tablespoons from one half and add it to the other. This way when you add the unsweetened chocolate to the smaller half, the two will be equal again. Be sure to wrap each section and chill for two hours or overnight.

Chilling it helps retain the shape as you press down with the knife. I like to turn the dough after every cut so when I press down again with the knife, it presses down uniformly which helps retain its shape.

Making the Checkerboard Cookie Design

Now you’re ready to begin! Remove your dough from the refrigerator and lightly dust a cutting board with flour.

Next, do your math. Decide how many rows and columns you want for your cookie. Be sure your cuts are at least 1/4 inch thick.

Carefully slice each color block into the amount of strips you calculated. Place your stirps next to each other for the first layer, then stack the remaining rows above alternating in color from the below row.

The below pictures of the dough shows the dough stacked into 4 columns and 3 rows so it made a more rectangular cookie. The baked cookie on the right shows 3 columns and 3 rows which makes a square cookie.

Variations for Chocolate and Vanilla Checkerboard Cookies

Flavor: Change the vanilla flavor by adding some peppermint, orange, or strawberry extract.
Nuts: Chop some pecans or walnuts and add them to the chocolate dough.
Embellishment: Use a colored sugar or chocolate jimmies on the top before you bake the cookies. To keep the main focus on the design, wait until they bake and have cooled, then run the edges through a powder sugar and water glaze and dip them into the jimmies or colored sugar instead.
Color: If you love these cookies as much as my family does you can use any food coloring or gel with the vanilla dough to adapt them to any holiday or special occasion. I love how the colors play off the deep color of the chocolate.

• Christmas: If your Christmas colors are more traditional then grab some red and or green food coloring or gel. If you decorate a little more contemporary then opt for slight shades of barely-there pink, blues or green.
• Valentines Day: Pink or varying shades of red.
• St. Patrick’s Day: Green of course! A light or medium green would play off the brown chocolate.
• Easter: Lavender, pink, orange, blue or yellow. It’s especially striking when you do the checkboard pattern and have several colors at once mixed with the chocolate. I also like to make the “circle” version, whether you do the border the color or swap it out and do the main inside circle the color, either would look striking. Get creative and push your dough cylinder down slightly with the palms of your hands and create more of an oval to look like eggs.
• Mother’s Day: A soft pink will do.
• Father’s Day: Keep them natural and definitely do the checkerboard pattern.
• Forth of July/Memorial Day: Make some red and blue and keep some natural. Mix red and blue squares together in the same cookie. This is where the “checkerboard” pattern shines!
• Halloween: Orange looks incredible against the chocolate!

Storing Checkerboard Cookies

Let your cookies cool completely before placing in an air tight container. They can sit out on your counter for 7-10 days or freeze up to 2 months.

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Chocolate and Vanilla Checkerboard Cookies

Soft chocolate and vanilla checkboard cookies are the perfect treat to make when you want to indulge both your love of chocolate and vanilla at the same time. (The chill time is included in the total prep time.)

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Checkerboard Cookie, Chocolate and Vanilla

Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings 12 cookies

Calories 167kcal

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter (room temperature)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk (room temperature)
• 1½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder + 1 tablespoon oil (or 1 square unsweetened chocolate melted)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, cream room temperature butter and sugar until creamy.
• Beat in egg yolk. You can bring your egg to room temperature by placing in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.
• In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
• Mix milk and vanilla in a small cup.
• Alternate your wet and dry ingredients, mixing well after each addition, until your ingredients are fully blended.
• Divide dough in half then take approximately 2 tablespoons of dough from one half and add it to the other.

For the Chocolate Dough

• Mix your 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of oil in a small bowl. (If you have the unsweetened chocolate square you can melt one square instead which is the equivalent.) Since I don't bake often with unsweetened cocoa, I find it easier and more cost effective to keep cocoa powder such as Hershey's on hand as it has a longer shelf life then the squares. If you do buy the squares, I find they store longer in a drawer in the refrigerator.
• Blend the unsweetened chocolate with the half of vanilla dough that is minus the 2 tablespoons. Once you add the unsweetened chocolate you will have equaled it out again.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill dough for 2 hours or overnight.

Creating the Checkboard Pattern

• Remove dough from refrigerator. Makes sure your edges are all flat by pressing them against the cutting board before you take the plastic wrap off.
• Slice each dough block lengthwise into equal pieces.
• Cut each slice into strips.
• Assemble the strips, alternating vanilla and chocolate. Make as many columns and rows as you want.
• Wrap dough blocks and chill 2 hours or overnight again.
• Remove dough from refrigerator and slice into 1/4 inch cookies. Rotate dough every slice to keep the knife from pulling the dough out of shape.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly space the cookies. If you are still not happy with the shape, you have a second chance to reconfigure it once you place it on your cookie sheet. Just apply slight pressure on opposites sides. They will make 12-15 cookies depending on the thickness of your roll. These cookies should not spread so you can use a half size baking sheet.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before you remove them so they don't break. Store in a covered container on the counter.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 264IU | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Checkerboard Cookies first appeared on Plated for Two.

The post Checkerboard Cookies appeared first on Plated for Two.