Cherry Bombs Chocolate Filled (Print-Friendly Version)

These tasty cherry goodies mix maraschino cherries, cocoa, cream cheese, and almond into an amazing winter or holiday sweet. Great for sharing at parties or January get-togethers. Click & save.

# Ingredients You’ll Need:

→ Base Dough

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 pinch salt

→ Filling

07 - 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained
08 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
09 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon almond extract

→ Chocolate Coating

11 - 1 cup dark chocolate chips
12 - 1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional, for smoothness)

# How to Make It:

01 - Mix all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, soft butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a big bowl. Stir until you get a smooth dough that sticks together well. If it feels too dry, just add a teaspoon of milk to make it softer.
02 - Grab about a tablespoon of dough and press it flat like a tiny pancake. Pop a maraschino cherry right in the middle, then fold the dough around it so the cherry's totally covered. Roll it between your hands to make a nice ball and set it aside.
03 - In another bowl, mix the soft cream cheese, powdered sugar, and almond extract together. Keep stirring until it's nice and smooth. Give it a taste and throw in more powdered sugar if you want it sweeter.
04 - Push your finger gently into the top of each dough ball to make a little dent. Spoon a bit of the cream cheese mix into each hole you've made.
05 - Put all your filled dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Stick them in the fridge for half an hour so they'll stay firm and keep their round shape.
06 - While the balls are cooling, melt your chocolate chips in the microwave. Do it in short bursts and stir between each one until the chocolate's completely melted. If you want it extra smooth, stir in some coconut oil.
07 - Take each cold ball and dunk it in the melted chocolate. Lift it out with a fork so extra chocolate can drip off. Put it back on the parchment paper when you're done.
08 - If you're feeling fancy, sprinkle some colorful decorations on top before the chocolate hardens to make your treats look more fun and festive.
09 - Let your chocolate-covered treats sit out at room temp or put them back in the fridge until the chocolate gets hard, about 30 minutes should do it.
10 - Once the chocolate coating is firm, move your Cherry Bombs to a nice plate for serving. Any leftovers can go in a sealed container in the fridge and they'll stay good for a week.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - Go for high-quality dark chocolate to get the best taste and a smooth coating.
02 - Try switching up the filling flavor by using different extracts like vanilla or peppermint.
03 - Don't skip the chilling step before coating if you want your treats to stay nice and round when dipped.
04 - You can make these a few days ahead and keep them in the fridge; the flavors actually get better over time.

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