Made with corn flakes and maraschino cherries, these cherry winks cookies are crunchy on the outside but soft and chewy inside. And they look pretty as part of a holiday baking tray.
bowl or wax paper - for sifting the dry ingredients in to
mixer with mixing bowl
food processor (optional)
rimmed cookie sheet or waxed paper - for rolling the cookies in crushed corn flakes
rolling pin
rimless baking sheet - rimless cookie sheets allow for better air movement and more even cooking. But if all you have are rimmed cookie sheets, they will work, too.
measuring cups and spoons
2 teaspoons - for making the cookie balls
Ingredients
2¼cupssifted flour
1teaspoondouble-acting baking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonsalt
1cuppecans
1cupdates
⅓cupmaraschino cherries (or candied cherries) plus 12 cherries for the top of the cookies
6Tablespoonsshortening
6Tablespoonsbutter
1cupsugar
2largeeggsat room temperature
2Tablespoonsmilkat room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla
3½cupscornflakes
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
Sift together 2¼ cups sifted flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
Chop 1 cup pecans, 1 cup dates and ⅓ cup maraschino cherries. Cut an additional 9 maraschino cherries into quarters. Set aside
Crush 3½ cups cornflakes. Set aside.
Blend together 6 Tablespoons butter, 6 Tablespoons shortening and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in 2 eggs until well mixed.
Add 2 Tablespoons milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat well.
Add in the sifted dry ingredients gradually. Mix just until combined.
Stir in chopped pecans, dates and maraschino cherries (excluding the quartered cherries).
Shape into balls using a rounded teaspoonful of dough for each.
Roll each ball of dough in corn flakes.
Place on a greased baking sheet.
Top each cookie with ¼ maraschino cherry.
Bake for 10 to 14 minutes.
Notes
Chop the fruit and nuts first as part of your preparation to save time and be more efficient at the end. You do not want the leavening agents to go flat while you are taking time to chop.
Using a food processor will make chopping the fruit and nuts go faster. Make sure to use the intermittent pulse setting so that the pieces don't end up being too small.
Pre-sifting the flour before measuring makes it less dense, resulting in fluffier cookies.
Instead of the butter and shortening combination, substitute all butter for a richer flavor, or all shortening for a more tender texture.
Thoroughly beating the butter/shortening, sugar and eggs produces lighter cookies.
Cherry winks can be stored in an air tight container for up to a week, or frozen for up to a 3 months