Christmas Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Instructions:

1. Start by preheating your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this step.
3. Add the almond extract and mix it into the butter and sugar mixture.
4. Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the mixture and mix until the dough comes together. You may need to use your hands to form the dough into a ball. If you want to add a festive touch, you can separate the dough into two portions and knead red food coloring into one portion and green food coloring into the other.
5. Gently fold in the chopped maraschino cherries into the dough. Be careful not to overmix, as you don’t want to turn the dough pink or green.
6. Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. If you’ve colored the dough, you can make alternating red and green dough balls for a more festive look.
7. Use a fork to flatten each dough ball slightly, creating a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just starting to turn golden brown. Make sure not to overbake; shortbread cookies are best when they’re still pale in color.
9. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Once the cookies are completely cool, you can dust them with powdered sugar for a snowy effect.