These pretty cookies look fancy, but they are really not much work.
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ready in: 35 min
Servings: 30
Ingredients:
- 1 / 3 cup ( or 75g ) butter, softened
- 1 / 3 cup ( or 70g ) shortening
- 3 / 4 cup ( or 150g ) sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon ( or 15ml ) milk
- 1 teaspoon ( or 5ml ) vanilla extract
- 2 cups ( or 250g ) all – purpose flour
- 1 1 / 2 teaspoons ( or 7g ) baking powder
- 1 / 4 teaspoon ( or 2g ) salt
Filling:
- 1 ( 3 ounce ) package ( or 85g ) cream cheese, softened
- 1 / 4 cup ( or 50g ) sugar
- 1 / 4 teaspoon ( or 1ml ) almond extract
- 1 / 2 cup ( or 125g ) finely chopped maraschino cherries
- 1 / 4 cup ( or 25g ) sliced almonds, toasted and chopped
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle.
- In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and extract. Fold in cherries. On a floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 10-in. square. With a sharp knife or pastry wheel, cut into 2-1/2-in. squares. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Make 1-in. cuts from each corner toward the center of the dough.
- Drop teaspoonfuls of filling in the center of each square; sprinkle with almonds. Fold alternating points to the center to form a windmill; moisten points with water and pinch gently at center to seal. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool on wire racks.
