Rum Cherry Coconut Cookies

Rum Cherry

Coconut

Ingredients

Note: Cherries should be prepared the day before baking cookies so they have time to dry out some. If you don't have time to dry cherries overnight, arrange cherries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place them in a 200F oven for 20-30 minutes.

Maraschino cherries, stems on (Reese brand)

4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter-room temp

3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 large egg

2 tablespoons rum (Ernest Hemingway blonde)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup, plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon corn starch

½ teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes, plus extra for rolling

3-4 tablespoons chopped, Maraschino cherries

1 ½ inch ice cream scoop

Large baking sheet

Parchment paper

Directions

Note: Bake some of the cookies with a cherry center and some without as a choice for your guests/family.

For the cherry centers, slice off the bottoms of the amount you want to use and place the cherries cut side down onto a plate lined with a few layers of paper towels. Let sit overnight to absorb cherry juices. Reserve the bottom cut portion to chop up and add to the cookie batter. Chop enough cherries to equal 3-4 tablespoons and press several times between paper towels to remove juice. Let sit overnight with the sliced, whole cherries.

Cookie Batter

Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Note: Make sure you break up any clumps in coconut before using.

Add the butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and cream together on medium speed using a hand held mixer. Add the egg, rum and vanilla and mix until incorporated well. Whisk the dry ingredients together well, then sift. Add to the wet ingredients, being careful not to over-mix, to ensure tender cookies. Add the 3/4 cup of coconut and the 3-4 tablespoons of chopped cherries, and fold in.

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and add the extra sweetened coconut to a bowl. Drop a level scoop of batter into the coconut and press the coconut all over the batter, shaping into a ball with a flat bottom. Take a stemmed cherry and press deeply into the center, reshaping the ball. Place on the baking sheet and repeat, placing each ball about 2 inches apart. One dozen will fit onto a 18"x13" sheet pan. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Don't skip this step or cookies will spread out too much during baking.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Bake in the center of oven for 15-16 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 7-10 minutes, then place on a wired rack and let come to room temperature. If any cherries rise on top of cookies, gently press them down into cookie. Cookies must completely cooled before serving. Pair with ice cold milk or spiked eggnog.