Cherry Limeade Shortbread Cookies

It was one of those ultimate panic moments.

The dessert gods were not going to let me find what I was looking for, and my husband thought I was completely nuts.

Maraschino cherries can be tricky little shiesters - especially when you're trying to find ones with long stems (or stems at all). And of course - the BBQ I was taking these to was only a couple short hours away.

I had driven to 3 different grocery stores, and couldn't find stemmed maraschinos  Also, it didn't help that each store had a completely different idea of what grocery isle the cherries should be shelved on (some were in the freezer section next to the ice cream, some where in the fruit isle, and some where shelved with the condiments.) It was frustrating.

I eventually gave in, and bought cherries without stems. I think the cookies still turned out lovely, but the stem would have added some beautiful height.

Ryan assured me it wasn't the end of the world. And maybe he was right. Just maybe.

Making cookies and frosting with Kool-Aid mixes is OFF THE HOOK, folks. The cookies and frosting had such an intense (but not overwhelming by any means) flavor of lemon-lime and cherry. We used black cherry, but plain 'ol cherry would do just fine. I think it would be so much fun to use lemon kool-aid for a little lemon shortbread cookie, or even watermelon kool-aid with little black sprinkles for a sugar cookie. This kool-aid thing just opened up a whole new world.

Minus the Aladdin part.

-------

Cherry Limeade Shortbread Cookies
makes about 25 cookies

Ingredients:

cherry shortbread cookies:
3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C powdered sugar
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 pack of dark cherry Kool-Aid
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

limeade frosting:
1/2 C unsalted butter
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
1/2 pack of lemon-lime Kool-Aid
3-4 T milk

maraschino cherries

Method:
1. To make the cookies: in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars - about 2-3 minutes. Add kool-aid, vanilla, and eggs. Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
2. Divide dough into 2 logs (about 8 x 2 inch). Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Cut logs into 1/2 inch slices, place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes. Cool on cookie rack.

5. To make frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Add kool-aid and milk and beat until fluffy (adjusting consistency with more powdered sugar or milk).
6. Fill a piping bag and 1M Wilton tip - frost cooled cookies and top with a cherry.

recipe source: sweet p's baking co.