This chocolate-covered cherries recipe is a holiday season staple, especially for maraschino cherry enthusiasts. With only a few ingredients required and simple preparation, you can easily create these delectable treats. Feel free to customize them by adding amaretto or your preferred liqueur, as well as choosing your favorite type of chocolate. The result is a harmonious blend of flavors featuring rich chocolate, succulent cherries, and a hint of amaretto in every bite.For those seeking more indulgent treats, this recipe for mini caramel apple cheesecakes is a must-try. Alternatively, you might enjoy attempting to make fudgy chocolate brownies or experimenting with fruity twists like these raspberry truffles. The possibilities are endless!
Why You’ll Love Them
These festive treats are sure to be a hit this holiday season. The combination of maraschino cherries and dark chocolate is perfectly balanced, offering a sweet treat that’s hard to resist. What’s more, these cherry cordials are incredibly easy to make, requiring no specialized knowledge or equipment. Just mix, chill, and dip – it’s that simple! For those who grew up with the nostalgic tradition of receiving a box of chocolate-covered cherries from Cella’s, Queen Anne’s, or Brach’s during the holidays, this recipe is a wonderful way to relive those memories while creating new ones with loved ones. And why not gift some to friends and family too? They’re sure to be appreciated.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherries
To create the maraschino cherries, first drain and pat dry with a paper towel. For the dough, combine butter and corn syrup in a large bowl, then whisk in amaretto followed by powdered sugar until it reaches a Play-Doh-like consistency. Next, coat each cherry cordial with the mixture, arranging them on parchment or wax paper. To give them an indulgent twist, melt chocolate in the microwave and dip each cherry into it, allowing the cordials to set for at least an hour on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Finally, consider adding some festive flair by sprinkling sprinkles over the chocolate before it sets or drizzling extra chocolate on top.
Substitutions and Variations
If you’d like to experiment with different flavors, feel free to substitute the amaretto liqueur with cherry brandy or another liqueur of your choice. Additionally, a few drops of vanilla extract or almond extract can add an extra layer of depth to the dough mixture. When it comes to finishing touches, consider drizzling melted white chocolate chips or milk chocolate over the cherry cordials for a pop of color contrast, or get creative with edible decorations like glitter, sprinkles, or other embellishments that strike your fancy.
For an extra touch of holiday cheer, you could also create small fondant holly leaves and red berries to press onto the top of your creations. The possibilities are endless, and it’s all about letting your creativity shine!
How to Store Cherry Cordial Chocolate Treats
When it comes to storing homemade granola, you have a few options. For short-term storage, consider keeping it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it will typically remain fresh for up to two weeks. If you prefer a longer shelf life, you can also store your granola in the freezer. In this case, it should keep its crunchy goodness for several months.
Chocolate Covered Cherry FAQs
When working with fondant dough, it’s ideal if only slightly sticky, similar to Play-Doh. If it feels too sticky, simply add more powdered sugar directly to the dough or use it to dust your hands. To achieve this consistency, you can either add a pinch of powdered sugar at a time until you reach the desired texture or adjust the ratio of fondant to powdered sugar in your recipe.To coat cherries with chocolate without leaving fingerprints, try using a fork as a dipping tool and then gently slide the coated treats onto waxed paper using another fork. Alternatively, toothpicks can also be used for this purpose.For creating cordials with a runny center, patience is key. If you can resist devouring them immediately, you’ll find that the longer they sit, the more the center will liquefy. To achieve this effect, it’s best to prepare the cordials up to two weeks in advance and store them in an airtight container. This will allow the centers to properly set.In cases where the dough is too soft to coat cherries with chocolate, a quick solution can be found. If your kitchen is warm, this issue may arise. To remedy this, wrap the cherry-covered dough mixture onto a cookie sheet and place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Remove 3-4 at a time to dip in chocolate as needed.
Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe
Chocolate Covered Cherries
Indulge in the sweet and tangy delight of homemade Christmas chocolate covered cherries, crafted with the perfect blend of maraschino cherries, a luscious creamy center, and rich dark chocolate. This festive treat requires a mere 1 hour of prep time, followed by a 2-hour chilling period, ultimately yielding 75 scrumptious servings in just 3 hours total.
Instructions
As you prepare to make the amaretto cherry truffles, start by draining the maraschino cherries and setting them aside on a paper towel-lined surface. The liquid can be saved for future recipes or drinks. Next, combine the softened butter and corn syrup in a bowl, whipping until light and fluffy. Add the amaretto liquor and continue to whip until well combined. Gradually add two cups of powdered sugar, mixing until just combined. Continue adding powdered sugar until the dough reaches a soft, pliable consistency similar to Play-Doh. Take a small ball of dough, slightly larger than a cherry, and flatten it in the palm of your hand. Place one of the dry cherries in the center, then wrap the dough around the fruit, ensuring it’s fully covered and sealed. Gently roll the dough-covered cherry between your hands to shape into a round form, before setting it aside on parchment paper. Repeat this process until all the cherries are wrapped. To melt the chocolate coating, combine dark chocolate and chocolate almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 15-30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth and well combined. Dip each wrapped cherry into the melted chocolate, allowing any excess to drip off before setting it on a parchment-lined sheet. Once all the truffles have been coated and hardened, you can decorate their tops with your preferred embellishments. For these, I’ve drizzled leftover dipping chocolate and sprinkled festive sprinkles and edible glitter.