MARASCHINO CHERRY ALMOND CHOCOLATE COOKIES

MARASCHINO CHERRY ALMOND CHOCOLATE COOKIES Yield: 22-26 1 cup butter softened 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 cup powdered sugar 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 2-3 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice 1/2 cup maraschino cherries chopped 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chip morsels Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper. In large bowl with mixer beat butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in almond extract and powdered sugar. Turn mixer to stir or low and slowly add flour mixing in until incorporated. Mix in maraschino cherry juice and maraschino cherries. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on parchment paper. Spray bottom of glass with non stick cooking spray and flatten balls. You will need to spray glass several times. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing cookies to cookie cooling racks. NOTES You can also bake the cookies as rolled balls and they will cook to a more traditional cookie shape. Flattening gives them more of a shortbread look.