Chocolate ‘N Almond Buried Cherry Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 24 maraschino cherries, drained from jars, no stems
• 1 (12-ounce) package dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 3/4 cups coarse to fine chopped roasted almonds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars, ricotta and almond extract together using an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating on low until a soft dough forms. Cover bowl and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place cherries on paper towels and pat dry.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. After dough chills 30 minutes and working in batches, form 12 dough balls about 1-inch in diameter. Refrigerate remaining dough between each batch. Flatten dough balls in the palm of your hand, place a cherry in center of dough and with your fingers, work dough around cherry. Re-roll lightly to ball shape and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased shiny cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes (they do not brown). Remove from oven and let set on sheets 2 minutes; transfer cookies to wire racks. Cool completely. Repeat procedure three more times.
5. After cookies cool completely, line 2 baking sheets with wax paper.
6. In a glass bowl, stir chocolate chips with vegetable oil. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (water not touching bowl) and once chips soften, stir until smooth. Place almonds on small plate. Dip cookies in chocolate using two forks and allow excess chocolate to drip into bowl. Drop cookies in almonds and roll to cover; place on wax paper-lined baking sheets. Let chocolate set; store covered in airtight container.