Maraschino cherries are wrapped in an almond flavored candy, dipped in a dark chocolate coating and topped with crushed almonds. These Chocolate Covered Almond Cherries take the traditional holiday candy to the next level of decadence with the addition of festive almond flavors. The holidays only come around once a year so the desserts have to be EXTRA and this one doesn’t disappoint. Pair these sweets with cookies to create festive holiday gifts for friends and neighbors.
Infused Flavor
Maraschino cherries are already close to perfect on their own, but to take them to flavor-town I love to pair them with almond flavors. These chocolate covered almond cherries use almond extract in the candy coating and crushed almonds on top. For extra EXTRA almond flavor, add about a teaspoon of almond extract to the jar of Maraschino cherries the day before preparing these chocolates. Put the lid back on, give the jar a shake to make sure all of the cherries are infused with almond flavor and pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to prepare these chocolates.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Variations
When I make these chocolate covered almond cherries for family, friends and neighbors I like to add a few different variations to keep everyone happy. Here are a few I’ve tried.
- Leave out the nuts on a few for anyone with a nut allergy.
- Vanilla with sprinkles is a kid-friendly variation. Use vanilla extract instead of the almond extract. Instead of topping them with nuts, add a few festive sprinkles.
- Milk chocolate, vanilla with peanuts is a fun variation that reminds me of a sundae! Use vanilla extract instead of almond extract. Use milk chocolate melting wafers or chocolate chips to cover the cherries and roll them in crushed peanuts.
- Dip the cherries in dark chocolate and top with a little coarse sea salt.
Microwave or Double Boiler?
To melt the chocolate you can use the microwave or a DIY double boiler. To melt the chocolate in the microwave, place the chocolate chips and coconut oil or chocolate melting wafers (I like to use Ghirardelli Melting Wafers, which can be found in most grocery stores) in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in increments of 30 seconds until it’s melted. Stir the chocolate between each increment.
If you prefer to use a double-boiler method, heat a few inches of water in a pan. Do not bring the water to a boil but you do want to make sure it’s hot. Place a heat resistant glass or metal bowl into the pan with the water and place your chocolate in the bowl and stir while the chocolate melts. Make sure you keep the water hot but not boiling because if any water drips into the chocolate bowl, it will ruin the consistency of the chocolate. I use the double boiler method so that I can work at my own pace without feeling rushed! The microwaved chocolate will harden quickly so you have to work fast if you use this method.
Looking for more holiday desserts?
- Cake Bite Snowballs
- Chocolate Covered Cranberry Snowball Cookies
- Orange Marmalade Chocolate Dipped Sandwich Cookies
- Orange Chocolate Macadamia Nut Fudge
Chocolate Covered Vanilla-Almond Cherries
Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 20 Maraschino cherries with stems
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate melting wafers
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil If you’re using melting wafers instead of chocolate chips, you can skip this ingredient
- ¼ cup crushed almonds
Instructions
- Combine the first four ingredients and refrigerate for an hour.
- Remove the cherries from the jar and place on a paper towel. Press the excess liquid out of the cherries by lightly squeezing them into a paper towel. Place in the freezer for an hour.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To melt the chocolate in the microwave, place the chocolate chips and coconut oil (or chocolate melting wafers) in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in increments of 30 seconds until it's melted. Stir the chocolate between each 30-second increment. If you prefer to use a double-boiler to melt the chocolate, heat a few inches of water in a pan. Do not bring the water to a boil but you do want to make sure it's hot. Place a heat resistant glass or metal bowl into the pan with the water and place your chocolate in the bowl and stir while the chocolate melts. Make sure you keep the water simmering and not boiling because if any water drips into the chocolate bowl, it will ruin the consistency of the chocolate. I prefer the double boiler method so that I can work at my own pace. The microwave chocolate will harden quickly so you have to work fast if you use this method.
- Wrap each frozen cherry with a thin layer of the refrigerated almond candy coating mixture. Once the chocolate is melted, hold onto the stem and drop the cherry into the bowl and dip it until it's completely coated. Place the chocolate covered cherry on the parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle crushed almonds on top while the chocolate is still warm. Repeat this process for all of the cherries. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.
Leave a Reply