Nana’s Chocolate Covered Cherries
Growing up my Mom would make these delicious chocolate covered cherries at Christmastime. The recipe originally came from my Nana and I love that she made them for her family and friends at Christmas as well.
I asked my Mom to jot down some of her memories of my Nana making them so that I could share it here.
Mom (AKA: Karen): When I think of homemade Christmas goodies, I think of my mom‘s chocolate covered cherries. She made them every year for us to eat and for her to give away. They were absolutely delicious and quite easy to make.
Mom: Sometimes she would use the same kind of dough that she used in the cherries, but added green food coloring and peppermint flavoring. Those were delicious dipped in the chocolate.
Mom: She would also take the same dough and add in maple flavoring and chopped pecans and then dipped those into the chocolate.
Note: I would use toasted pecans.
Mom: I have kept the tradition going with my kids. I don’t believe I have ever met anyone who didn’t think these were delicious!
Mom: I can remember my Mom putting the cherries in really big jars in the refrigerator and we would sneak in there and get some out whenever we could.
Mom: The cherries look very nice packaged in glass jars with a ribbon around them. You can also use Christmas tins, however, I always loved seeing the joyous reactions of people when they would get a jar where they can see the cherries inside .
Note: Be sure to keep them refrigerated!
Hold finger down on Recipe photo to save to your device .
Nana’s Chocolate Covered Cherries
1- 16oz package Powdered Sugar
1/2 Stick Salted Butter Softened
1- 10 ounce Jar of Cherries Drained (Reserve juice )
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla or Almond Extract
2- 10 Oz bags of Melting Dark Chocolate (I use Ghirardelli)
Drain cherries over a bowl reserving the juice. Lay the cherries on paper towels for at least 30 minutes allowing them to dry completely.
In a bowl combine (we use our hands) powdered sugar, butter and extract. Add in a Tablespoon of cherry juice at a time until the dough becomes moldable (start with 2 TBlsp and add more as needed).
Take about a teaspoon or so of the dough and flatten it into a disc large enough to go around a cherry. Add the cherry and wrap the dough completely around it then roll into a ball. Set on parchment and insert a toothpick at least half way through the cherry. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours (or until the toothpick is secure). Melt chocolate according to package ( I use a large coffee cup). Remove cherries from fridge and then dip each one into the chocolate allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl tapping lightly on the side of the cup. Place cherry on parchment and remove toothpick. Using the same toothpick, dip in chocolate and then add it to the top of cherry to cover the hole. Drizzle chocolate over cherries using a fork or leave them plain. Refrigerate in air right container.
*Note: To make this recipe even easier, try chopping the cherries and add them to the dough then roll them into a ball. Also add toasted pecans to the mix to make it even better! Tip: if you try this method, do not add the cherry juice unless necessary. The chopped cherries add enough moisture to the dough on their own.
www.DenmarkCottage.com