Cherry Almond Cups recipe
Dough:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and almond extract. Mix well. Beat in flour and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Filling:
1/2 cup almond paste
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cups sliced almonds
24 maraschino cherries, halved
In a small bowl microwave almond paste for 15 - 20 seconds. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the egg and mix it well.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
To Assemble: Divide dough into 4 pieces. Divide each piece into 12 pieces. Roll into a ball and place 1 ball in each of 48 ungreased miniature muffin cups. Press in bottom and up sides of each cup.
Put 1/2 teaspoon of filling into each cup. Sprinkle with several almond slices. Top with a cherry half, rounded side up, on each.
Bake for 17 to 20 minutes. Centers should puff and edges should be a light golden brown. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. With the tip of a knife lift cookies from cups.
Yields 48 cookies.
