Chocolate Cherry Kolackies

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• cherry preserves (or your favorite flavor)
• powdered sugar

Recipe

• 1 melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth; set aside.
• 2 whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• 3 with an electric mixer on medium speed, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
• 4 beat in the sugar until light and fluffy.
• 5 blend in the vanilla and melted chocolate.
• 6 gradually add the flour mixture; beat on low speed just until blended.
• 7 divide dough in half; flatten into 2 discs.
• 8 wrap each separately in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1-2 hours, or until firm.
• 9 preheat oven to 375*f.
• 10 line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• 11 roll each piece of dough out on a well-floured surface to 1/4-1/8" thickness; cut into rounds with a 3-inch cookie cutter (scalloped edges are pretty).
• 12 place 2" apart on the cookie sheets; place a rounded 1/2 tsp.
• 13 of jam in the center of each circle.
• 14 bring three edges of dough circles up over the jam; pinch edges together to seal, leaving the center of the triangle open.
• 15 bake for 10 minutes, or until set--just guard against overbaking.
• 16 let cookies stand on the sheets for 2 minutes; then transfer them to wire racks and cool completely.
• 17 just before serving, dust with powdered sugar.
• 18 store tightly covered in the refrigerator; let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.