Anyway, these cookies are fabulous. I think that these would make a really great kid-friendly baking project. However, I have zero children, I don't even really know any kids, and well, some would argue I'm still a child. So if you have children and think that these would actually destroy your kitchen with the help of your sticky offspring, please, feel free to correct me. Simple mistake.
Now, if you don't like cherries I am sure these would be equally delicious with blueberry pie filling, or any other canned pie filling flavor of your choice. However, I must admit if you don't like cherry pie filling, you will be subjected to me secretly judging you because I could probably eat an entire can of cherry pie filling. Okay, now you judge me.
Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, vanilla, cream cheese, butter, cherry pie filling, and graham cracker crumbs. Nothing too wild.
First, take your baking powder and salt. Dump them into the flour. Set aside.Let them get to know each other.
Then, combine cream cheese, butter, and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer.Beat until your mixture is creamy, light, and fluffy.
Then add your eggs and vanilla.
It'll look like this ^.
Gradually add your friends in the flour bowl to the mix.
Look! We have dough!Now, place the dough in the fridge for 30 mins.
The chilling process will make the rolling process WAY easier.
[I wish I had a really awesome 30 minute intermission for the chilling process, but I bet that would get super awkward... so I'll let you wait by yourself. It's better for both of us.]
Portion the dough into 1 1/2 in balls. Roll into crumbs.
With the help of a Tablespoon measuring spoon, make indentations.Don't be shy, smoosh em good, because this is where your cherries will rest.
Now, add three cherries to the indentation.Make sure to get most of the goo off, you want the CHERRIES not the filling.
Line em' up on a prepared baking sheet.Place in a 350 F oven for 14 minutes or until golden brown.
They puffed up beautifully!These cookies are great. With each bite they really take you back to diving into a big fat piece of NY cheesecake. These will make a great addition to your Holiday baking rotation, and a great addition to any Holiday party--they're festive, cute, and most important they are delicious. Plus, you probably have everything you need already stocked up in your pantry and fridge!
Oh! I'd be a rude thief if I didn't give credit to where credit is due. This recipe comes from the brilliance of taracooks over at P Dub's Tasty Kitchen. Oh Ree, she's really got a good thing going. I'm infinitely jeal.
- 3-½ cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 packages Cream Cheese (8 Oz Packages)
- 2-½ sticks Butter, Softened
- 1-½ cup Sugar
- 2 whole Large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs (See Note Below)
- 3 cans (21 Oz. Can) Cherry Pie Filling, Drained
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, butter, and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes.
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place graham cracker crumbs in a shallow dish.
Roll dough into 1 ½ inch balls, then roll in crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a tablespoon measure, make indentation in the center of each ball. Place 3 cherries in each dimple. Bake until golden around the edges, about 12 to 14 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days.)
Note: to make graham cracker crumbs, process 8 whole graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground.
Makes 4 dozen cookies.
