White chocolate and maraschino cherry shortbread cookies

Don't be put off these cookies if you don't like glace cherries, I don't either, these use maraschino cherries, the marzipan flavoured one that you put in cocktails.  Pronounced 'the best thing ever' by my wife these cookies are very easy to make.  Keep the cherry juice in its jar as you can use it to flavour cocktails like the Mary Pickford.

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND MARASCHINO CHERRY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

 

 

• 225g butter at room temperature
• 50g icing sugar
• 300g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• jar of maraschino or cocktail cherries, drained and chopped
• 150g white chocolate, chopped into chunks
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

Cream the butter and sugar

Mix the flour and salt together

Mix into the creamed butter until it starts to form clumps

Mix in the cherries, chocolate and vanilla extract

Bring the dough together with your hands and form it into a log

Wrap in cling film and chill for at least an hour

 

Preheat your oven to 325F/170C/Gas 3 and line two baking trays with baking parchment
Using a sharp or serrated knife carefully cut the log into slices about 1/4" thick and place on the trays an inch apart

Bake until they just start to turn golden brown, 15-20 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
If you need more chocolate half dip them in melted chocolate!