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Instructions:
- Start by preheating your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 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.
- Add the almond extract and mix it into the butter and sugar mixture.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Use a fork to flatten each dough ball slightly, creating a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie.
- 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.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, you can dust them with powdered sugar for a snowy effect.
