Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Cherry Surprises

Teresa Ambra

Teresa’s Bake Shop – Christmas Cookie Extravaganza – 2013

Cherry Surprises are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! Our family loves these delicious cookies. We’ve made them several times for our annual Christmas Cookie Extravaganza.  Almost every year we bake 3,000 to 5,000 cookies during the holiday season. Yes, it is a LOT of work! We have a large Christmas cookie list that includes friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, church friends and service providers. We get asked every year if they are on the Christmas “nice” or “naughty” list for our Christmas cookies. 🙂

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Cherry Surprises are kind of like the Russian Teacakes or Walnut or Pecan Butterballs. I love those recipes passed down from our grandparent’s generation. But these cookies come with one significant difference. A candied cherry is baked on the inside. Oh, yes! After the cookies have baked and cooled you roll them in powdered sugar. Cherry Surprises are mouthwatering, melt-in-your-mouth type of cookies. They’re also spectacular for holiday baking.

Several years ago I worked in the church office at First Presbyterian Church in Duncanville, TX. Around Christmas of 1997, Shirley Lotts brought several platters of baked breads and cookies to the church office for our consumption. Well, I had to sample everything! I’ve already posted Apricot Nut Bread, Banana Apricot Nut Bread and Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies–all recipes I collected from Shirley that day. Now, I offer this delightful cookie, Cherry Surprises. They are a delectable, irresistible cookie that’s fabulous for holiday parties, Christmas Cookie Exchanges, or any kind of festive activity this time of the year.

If you’re looking for a wonderful cookie for cherry lovers in your family, I suggest Cherry Surprises. My former father-in-law (now deceased) loved cherries. So cookies with cherries have always been on our Christmas cookie lists each year. This one, though a little labor intensive, is so worth the effort. Maybe you should consider adding this cookie to your Christmas baking schedule this year, too!

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Cherry Surprises are a wonderful holiday cookie with a candied cherry baked into the center. Don’t Cherry Surprises look gorgeous?

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

We found that rolling these in powdered sugar AFTER the cookies cool was easier than rolling them in powdered sugar while the cookies were still warm (which was the way the original instructions directed that they  be done).

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Cherry Surprises are a great cookie to bake for holiday or Christmas parties. Bring in a plate of these jewels to your office and they will be wolfed down in no time. These cookies take a little longer to bake than most cookies – usually 15-20 minutes.

Here’s what I did.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Place softened butter and powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl. Don’t let this picture fool you. I multiplied the original recipe times 10 for these pictures.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Mix with an electric mixer to combine.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Add vanilla.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Add finely diced walnuts or pecans. Don’t use merely chopped pecans or walnuts. This cookie works a lot better with really small pieces of nuts.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

I tried to stir all this dough but it worked better for my husband to mix this dough with his hands. Remember this is 10 batches at once!

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Refrigerate dough several hours. I refrigerated overnight so I set the dough out to warm slightly about an hour before I started working with it here. 

I highly recommend if you are making multiple batches that you put each batch in a separate container. Then only pull out the container you’re going to work with and allow the other containers to stay chilled. The cookies will not flatten out as much that way while baking.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Place a small amount of dough in your hand and flatten it. Or flatten dough on your counter top. Place a cherry in the middle.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Wrap and seal dough around the cherry.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

This is what the cookies look like after wrapping a cherry in the middle.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Place cookies on cookie sheets.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. When I bake 4-8 racks of cookies at once the amount of cooking time increases. If you only have one baking sheet in your oven at once then it will cook faster.

To keep the cookies from flattening too much, I should have chilled the dough again before baking. When you’re making ten batches at once it’s hard to keep the dough chilled enough.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Here the cookie is baked and I’m going to dip it in the powdered sugar. This is really easier to do when the cookies are completely cooled.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

I use a lot of powdered sugar because I like the cookies well coated.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Here’s a plate of Cherry Surprises after they’ve been rolled in powdered sugar. These cookies are a wonderfully festive and great for parties.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

We love Cherry Surprises and believe your family will too. You can see the cherries hidden inside the cookie.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

If you’re used to making Pecan Butterballs or Russian Tea Cakes for Christmas, you’ll enjoy these cookies too.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Cherry Surprises are perfect for Christmas Cookie Exchanges. The cookies are usually gobbled up right away!

Here’s the recipe.

CHERRY SURPRISES

(Recipe adapted from Shirley Lotts, when I worked at First Presbyterian Church, Duncanville, TX)

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Cherry Surprises

Teresa Ambra
Cherry Surprises are some of the most mouthwatering cookies ever! These delicious walnut butterball-type cookies include a maraschino cherry baked inside. The cookie is rolled in powdered sugar after it cools. Great for holiday baking and Christmas Cookie Exchanges.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30
Calories 118 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 18x26" cookie sheet pans
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 electric mixer
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 nut chopper if the nuts are not previously chopped
  • 1 small bowl
  • 1 spatula
  • waxed paper

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or 2 ¼ cup cake flour, (use 2 ¼ cups regardless of what type of flour)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup nuts finely chopped (measure after chopping)
  • 1/2 lb. candied cherries
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Cream butter and ½ cup powdered sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Add vanilla and nuts.
  • Add flour and mix well.
  • Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill several hours.
  • Take small amount of dough and flatten into a round – place a cherry in center and wrap dough around.
  • Put on greased cookie sheets.
  • Chill again 15 minutes. (These cookies must be chilled before baking or they run too much).
  • Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.
  • Rotate cookie sheets on oven racks every six to seven minutes of baking time.
  • Cool a few minutes before rolling cookies in powdered sugar.

Notes

NOTE: You will use a LOT of powdered sugar to roll the baked cookies in.
 
NOTE: Be sure to re-chill the dough after rolling the dough into balls so they hold they're shape while baking.
 
NOTE: These cookies are better with 2 1/4 cups flour whether it's unbleached like I usually use, or 2 1/4 cups cake flour. 
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 16mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 190IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.3mg
Keyword cherries, cherry dessert, cookie, dessert
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

[b]Cherry Surprises[/b]
Recipe Type: Cookies, Brownies and Bars
Cuisine: American
Author: Teresa Ambra adapted from Shirley Lotts, when I worked at First Presbyterian Church, Duncanville, TX
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 30
Delicious walnut butterball-type cookie with a marachino cherry baked inside. Then the cookie is rolled in powdered sugar after it cools. Great for holiday baking.
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 ¼ cup flour or 2 ¼ cup cake flour (use 2 ¼ cups regardless of what type of flour)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ cup finely chopped nuts
  • 1/3-1/2 lb. candied cherries
  • Powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and ½ cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Add vanilla and nuts.
  3. Add flour and mix well.
  4. Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill several hours.
  5. Take small amount of dough and flatten into a round – place a cherry in center and wrap dough around.
  6. Put on greased cookie sheets.
  7. Chill again 15 minutes. (These cookies must be chilled before baking or they run too much).
  8. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.
  9. Cool a few minutes before rolling cookies in powdered sugar.
Notes
I chilled these cookies overnight so I didn’t re-chill them before baking and they held their shape quite well.[br][br]You will use a LOT of powdered sugar to roll the baked cookies in.
Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

I’m ready to break out a glass of milk and power down these cookies! Cherry Surprises have always been one of our most requested Christmas cookies!

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Cherry Surprises rock! Your family will love them.

Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Are you drooling yet?

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White Chocolate Cherry Cookies | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these over-the-top #cookies will knock your socks off! They're filled with white #chocolate chips, #pecans & #candiedcherries. They're awesome for #holiday #baking & #Christmas #cookie exchanges. #dessert #cherrydessert #ChristmasDessert #whitechocolatedessert #chocolatedessert #whitechocolate

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Cherry Surprises | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | these melt-in-your-mouth #cookies are absolutely spectacular. #CandiedCherries are hidden inside each #cookie before #baking. Then they're rolled in powdered sugar to serve. These heavenly cookies have been on our #ChristmasCookie baking list for decades! #dessert #Christmas #ChristmasDessert #cherry #CherryDessert #ChristmasCookieExchange

Cherry Surprises

Teresa Ambra
Cherry Surprises are some of the most mouthwatering cookies ever! These delicious walnut butterball-type cookies include a maraschino cherry baked inside. The cookie is rolled in powdered sugar after it cools. Great for holiday baking and Christmas Cookie Exchanges.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 30
Calories 118 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 18×26" cookie sheet pans
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • 1 electric mixer
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 nut chopper if the nuts are not previously chopped
  • 1 small bowl
  • 1 spatula
  • waxed paper

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or 2 ¼ cup cake flour, (use 2 ¼ cups regardless of what type of flour)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup nuts finely chopped (measure after chopping)
  • 1/2 lb. candied cherries
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Cream butter and ½ cup powdered sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  • Add vanilla and nuts.
  • Add flour and mix well.
  • Wrap dough in waxed paper and chill several hours.
  • Take small amount of dough and flatten into a round – place a cherry in center and wrap dough around.
  • Put on greased cookie sheets.
  • Chill again 15 minutes. (These cookies must be chilled before baking or they run too much).
  • Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.
  • Rotate cookie sheets on oven racks every six to seven minutes of baking time.
  • Cool a few minutes before rolling cookies in powdered sugar.

Notes

NOTE: You will use a LOT of powdered sugar to roll the baked cookies in.
 
NOTE: Be sure to re-chill the dough after rolling the dough into balls so they hold they’re shape while baking.
 
NOTE: These cookies are better with 2 1/4 cups flour whether it’s unbleached like I usually use, or 2 1/4 cups cake flour. 
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 1mgPotassium: 16mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 190IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.3mg
Keyword cherries, cherry dessert, cookie, dessert
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

3 Comments

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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