Topped with a chocolate kiss, these cherry-flavored cookies look super cute on a dessert tray. Share them with family and friends. —Joy Yurk, Grafton, Wisconsin
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter, confectioners' sugar and salt until blended. Beat in cherry juice, extract and, if desired, food coloring. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in cherries.
Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into center of each cookie (cookie will crack around edges). Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Test Kitchen Tips
Want easy cleanup? Use parchment paper sheets.
Unwrapping these candies is a great way to get little ones involved in the kitchen.
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Susan
Dec 28, 2020
I have created an account with Taste of Home specifically to diss this recipe. Y'all. Don't fall for it. If you want a kiss cookie, do the regular peanut butter recipe. I grant there may have been a little user error here. But I'm on the whole an experienced baker and these cookies were TERRIBLE. Dry. Tasteless. And then to add insult to injury, I put the kisses on while they were just a little too hot. The kisses melted enough to make them look like bloddy nipples. Don't do it people! Don't believe the hype!
Denise
Dec 21, 2020
I make a double batch of these every Christmas. I do add more almond and cherry juice for more flavor.
Jackie
Nov 11, 2020
Too bland. Cookie broke apart when Kiss inserted.
Kathy
Jan 13, 2020
Love this recipe. I only got 24 cookies as my yield. Also used cherry extract instead of almond extract due to nut allergies in the group eating the cookies.
Also I needed to add 6 teaspoons full of cherry juice as well as the 2 used in the beginning, so dough wasn’t too crumbly. But adjustments needed were easy to do.
Christie
Dec 25, 2019
These cookies are so buttery and delicious! I accidentally put in double the amount of cherry juice and I'm glad that I did. I also used a 1.5 inch cookie scoop and the size is perfect. They are so pretty and they are really soft and yummy!
susdegroff
Dec 15, 2019
My daughter gave me this recipe a few years ago so they became our Christmas favorite. But I finally made them with the Hershey Cherry Cordial Kisses that I've wanted to try. They are amazing and my granddaughter just loves the cherries in them so I have extra for her to eat. They are a little too dry so I added a little more juice and cherries. The cherries have a slightly liquid center so they add some moisture. Tastes amazing. Definitely need to double the batch next time.
Emily
Dec 12, 2019
As written, this cookie dough is too crumbly and dry. The 1" balls is too small for the choco kiss--just a little bigger of a ball makes a big difference. Just double the recipe and make them bigger. I agreed with the other reviewers who felt the flavor of the cookie was too mild/bland. Finally, I think using dark chocolate Kisses would be a good bet. It is a super cute cookie, just not reaching its potential. I did make some changes. I used 1 egg white, added more cherry juice, added some Amaretto, just trying to add moisture. If I were going to do this one again, I would just use mini choco chips and then it wouldn't matter as much if the cookie is bland because the choco would add a nice flavor note.
Brandy
Dec 4, 2019
I made these for the first time today and I liked how easy they were. My complaint is they are super dry and not enough cherry flavor. I made a cherry glaze with amaretto and maraschino cherry syrup to pour on top. That seems to have added a lot to them.
bjpalmer
Jan 9, 2019
These were very pretty on the tray and my husband and I ate so many of them. :) They were delicious. Love the cherry chocolate combination.
dcscake_OH
Dec 5, 2018
I made mine just as the recipe said, did not need any changes, They are colorful and taste great.
Reviews
I have created an account with Taste of Home specifically to diss this recipe. Y'all. Don't fall for it. If you want a kiss cookie, do the regular peanut butter recipe. I grant there may have been a little user error here. But I'm on the whole an experienced baker and these cookies were TERRIBLE. Dry. Tasteless. And then to add insult to injury, I put the kisses on while they were just a little too hot. The kisses melted enough to make them look like bloddy nipples. Don't do it people! Don't believe the hype!
I make a double batch of these every Christmas. I do add more almond and cherry juice for more flavor.
Too bland. Cookie broke apart when Kiss inserted.
Love this recipe. I only got 24 cookies as my yield. Also used cherry extract instead of almond extract due to nut allergies in the group eating the cookies. Also I needed to add 6 teaspoons full of cherry juice as well as the 2 used in the beginning, so dough wasn’t too crumbly. But adjustments needed were easy to do.
These cookies are so buttery and delicious! I accidentally put in double the amount of cherry juice and I'm glad that I did. I also used a 1.5 inch cookie scoop and the size is perfect. They are so pretty and they are really soft and yummy!
My daughter gave me this recipe a few years ago so they became our Christmas favorite. But I finally made them with the Hershey Cherry Cordial Kisses that I've wanted to try. They are amazing and my granddaughter just loves the cherries in them so I have extra for her to eat. They are a little too dry so I added a little more juice and cherries. The cherries have a slightly liquid center so they add some moisture. Tastes amazing. Definitely need to double the batch next time.
As written, this cookie dough is too crumbly and dry. The 1" balls is too small for the choco kiss--just a little bigger of a ball makes a big difference. Just double the recipe and make them bigger. I agreed with the other reviewers who felt the flavor of the cookie was too mild/bland. Finally, I think using dark chocolate Kisses would be a good bet. It is a super cute cookie, just not reaching its potential. I did make some changes. I used 1 egg white, added more cherry juice, added some Amaretto, just trying to add moisture. If I were going to do this one again, I would just use mini choco chips and then it wouldn't matter as much if the cookie is bland because the choco would add a nice flavor note.
I made these for the first time today and I liked how easy they were. My complaint is they are super dry and not enough cherry flavor. I made a cherry glaze with amaretto and maraschino cherry syrup to pour on top. That seems to have added a lot to them.
These were very pretty on the tray and my husband and I ate so many of them. :) They were delicious. Love the cherry chocolate combination.
I made mine just as the recipe said, did not need any changes, They are colorful and taste great.