Cherry Pie Cookies

 Now through January 16, 2017, please vote for my Easy Pie Cookie recipe on Instructables, I sure would love a robot apron! Also, hurry on over to my facebook page for a chance to win a free pro membership to Instructables.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Pie-Cookies/

Oh my goodness, get out of town, these cookies are delish!

There weren't any notable dishes or recipes in the cooking magazine we just got in the mail until the very last pages, when hubby spotted the ad for Lucky Leaf Cherry Pie filling.  The ad featured a plateful of delicious looking cookies and a recipe for Cherry Pie Cookies.

We all love cherries, so I tried the recipe right away, and then made them again for Thanksgiving.  The cookies were a big hit and now they are a new family favorite.

The easy to bake cookies are almost magical...their disappearing act is amazing.

Cherry Pie Cookies
by Lucky Leaf

Makes 2 dozen cookies
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup margarine, softened
2 cups flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 (21 oz) can of cherry pie filling
1/2 cup white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips (I used Wilton candy melts)

Mix butter and margarine until fluffy.  Add flour, powdered sugar and vanilla just until combined and soft dough is formed.

Roll the dough into two-inch balls.  Place on greased baking sheet or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Press thumb into center of cookie to make a well.  Place cherries into each cookie.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool.

Melt chocolate according to package directions.  Drizzle over cookies.  Let chocolate set and serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Notes:  I made my balls a little smaller than the recipe calls for, about 1 1/2 in., and did not push down the center too hard, so the cookie does not get thin in the center and break.  I placed 3 cherries in each cookie, and came up a bit short on cherries.  Drizzling the chocolate didn't work for me , so I used a small ziplock bag, snipped a corner then piped the chocolate on.

Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce and Cranberry Jello

My Mother in Law introduced me to Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce many years ago.  Every Thanksgiving we would make cranberry jello using the Indian Trail Sauce recipe.  The last couple of years I have not been able to find the sauce anywhere and was really missing it.  I found out they are no longer making the sauce so I decided to make my own.

I remember the sauce having a thick consistency with some large pieces of cranberry.  Here is the recipe I came up with (and yippie!) tasted exactly like Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce.

Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce
1 12oz bag of fresh cranberries
1 cup of sugar
1 orange (1/3 of orange with peel and pulp minced, the rest without peel diced)
1/2 tsp of lemon zest

 Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until boiling.  (Cranberries will begin to split). With a potato masher, smash the cranberries to break up.

That's it!  Who new it would be so easy. 


Here is my new recipe for Cranberry Jello:

Cranberry Jello 
Note: this takes a long time to set, make it the day before. 
1 12oz bag of fresh cranberries
1 cup of sugar
1 orange (1/3 of orange with peel and pulp minced, the rest without peel diced)
1/2 tsp of lemon zest
 Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until boiling.  Stir so mixture does not burn. (Cranberries will begin to split).  With a potato masher, smash the cranberries to break up.
Then add:
2 packages (3 oz.) Raspberry Flavor Gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup crushed pineapple (juice and all)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Stir until mixed and pour into dish.  Refrigerate until set, overnight is best.

Ready for the refrigerator!

After sleeping in the refrigerator all night, mmm...yummy! 

I pulled out my Indian Trail recipe that I clipped from a box.  Here are the original recipe's on the inside label:

The familiar light blue lettering is a bit faded now, so I am retyping the original recipe's for you.

Cranberry Orange with Cherry Gelatin
2 packages (3 oz.) Cherry Flavor Gelatin
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup crushed pineapple (juice and all)
1 package (10oz.) Frozen Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce, defrosted

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Stir in Indian Trail Cranberry orange Sauce and pineapple.  Pour into mold.  Refrigerate until firm.



Hot Cranberry Butter
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup maple flavored syrup
1 package (10oz.) Frozen Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce, defrosted

heat butter and syrup together until butter melts.  Add Indian Trail Cranberry Orange Sauce, heat to boiling.  Serve warm over Waffles, Pancakes or French Toast.