La Della's Cookies


My late mother-in-law, La Della Beutler, was famous for these cookies. She make them every year for Christmas, and I looked forward to eating them when we would visit her house during the holidays. Don't let the candied cherries scare you into thinking these are going to taste like fruit cake (which I despise). These cookies are delicious, and super easy to make. The recipe makes 4 dozen so it's a great cookie for a cookie exchange.
Ingredients:

1 cup cold butter, cut up in small pieces
2 ½ cups sifted flour
1 egg
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups whole candied cherries (the red ones they sell at Christmas for fruitcake)
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon cream
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour to the consistency of corn meal.
Add the egg, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to flour mixture and blend with an electric mixer until the ingredients are well combined.
Using a large spoon, mix the cherries and pecans into the dough. Mix well to combine.
Divide the dough in half and place each half on a large piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Roll the dough into 2 logs about 1 ½ inches round. Refrigerate until firm (overnight).





Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut into ¼ inch slices. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. (I like to line my baking sheets with parchment paper to sensure even baking.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool. They are ready to eat at this point, but....

Here's my twist on the cookie:

I make some chocolate ganache by melting 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon cream, in the micowave for 30 second intervals until the chips are all melted. Whisk this together until smooth and shiny and pour the mixture into a small baggie. Cut a small hole at one corner of the baggie and pipe chocolate over the cookies. Let the chocolate harden on the cookies before moving them to a decorative plate.

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