*drain maraschino cherries and dry with paper towelscut each in half
GANACHE
¼cupheavy whipping cream
¾cupsemi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
COOKIES
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Line your cookie sheets with some parchment paper.
In a mixer whip softened butter, salt, and sugar until light yellow and airy.
Add in eggs one at a time while mixing and also add in the yolk.
Mix in vanilla and almond extract.
Slowly add in the 2 ½ cups of flour and mix until well incorporated.
The cookie dough should be a soft consistency, easy for piping while still holding its shape.
Use a piping bag with a large open star tip, preferably with short spikes.
Pipe your favorite shapes onto the lined cookie sheets.
Chill piped cookies in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking.
Add cherries and sprinkle to the circle cookies, leaving some empty for ganache dots if making. For the ganache cookies smoosh a finger indent in the middle of the cookie to make room for chocolate later.
Pipe 2 inch long fingers for the sandwich cookies. Try to keep them around the same size and shape.
Bake for 10 - 15 minutes or until just barely golden underneath.
Let cookies cool down on a rack.
Get a clean bowl of sprinkles ready for decorating. One for each type you are using.
Ready some wax paper for setting the chocolate.
GANACHE
Heat heavy cream in the microwave or on the stove until it just starts to simmer.
Add chocolate chips to the cream and let sit for a few minutes before stirring. Mix until chocolate is smooth.
Spread a very thin layer of raspberry jelly on half of the sandwich cookies. Match up with a similar sized cookie to top.
Dip one end of the finger shaped sandwich cookies into the ganache. Toss sprinkles onto the wet chocolate. Place on wax paper to set.
Dollop chocolate dots in the center of the circular cookies. Let set completely.
Storage: If you used maraschino cherries, store in the fridge. If candied they can be stored at room temp. Cookies freeze well for a few weeks.