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Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe

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3.9 from 8 reviews

These chocolate covered cherries feature maraschino cherries wrapped in a creamy, sugary dough and dipped in rich dark chocolate, then decorated with a chocolate drizzle. This homemade classic American dessert is perfect for anyone who loves the combination of sweet cherries and smooth chocolate in a bite-sized treat.

  • Total Time: 62 minutes
  • Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients

Cherries and Dough

  • 10 ounce jar maraschino cherries
  • 4 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons reserved cherry juice (from the jar)

Chocolate Coating

  • 16 ounces dark candy melts or chocolate chips (if using chocolate chips, add 2 teaspoons shortening during melting)
  • Cooking spray (for hands, optional)

Instructions

  1. Drain and Dry Cherries: Drain the maraschino cherries and reserve 1/4 cup of the cherry juice. Place cherries on paper towels and pat dry to remove excess moisture.
  2. Make Dough: In a mixer bowl, combine powdered sugar, softened butter, and 3 tablespoons cherry juice. Beat until mixture forms a dough. Adjust consistency by adding powdered sugar or cherry juice as needed—add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar if too sticky, or 1 teaspoon cherry juice if too dry. Cover and refrigerate dough for 20 minutes to firm.
  3. Form Cherry Balls: Flatten two teaspoons of the dough into a disc, place one cherry in the center, and wrap dough around it to form a ball. Coat hands lightly with cooking spray if dough sticks. Place balls on parchment-lined sheet pan and freeze for 20 minutes.
  4. Melt Chocolate: Melt candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring until smooth. If using chocolate chips, add 2 teaspoons shortening for better melting.
  5. Dip Cherries: Using a fork, dip each frozen cherry ball into melted chocolate, tapping off excess chocolate on the bowl edge. Place dipped cherries on parchment paper.
  6. Decorate: Spoon some melted chocolate into a resealable bag, snip a small corner, and drizzle over the dipped cherries to decorate.
  7. Set Chocolate: Allow the chocolate to harden completely at room temperature. Store finished chocolate covered cherries at room temperature for up to one week.

Notes

  • Chilling the cherries wrapped in dough is essential to keep them firm and prevent melting during dipping and handling.
  • Use quality dark melting wafers like Ghirardelli for a shiny, smooth chocolate coating.
  • If using chocolate chips instead of candy melts, adding 2 teaspoons shortening helps the chocolate melt smoothly.
  • Author: Maya
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Melting and dipping
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://cozykitchenbymaya.com/chocolate-covered-cherries-recipe/