These heavenly chocolate-covered bon bon cookies are filled with a sweet surprise. Tucked inside each one is a maraschino cherry, just waiting for you to discover it. And, after each cookie is dipped in melted dark chocolate and topped generously with sprinkles, I think you’ll agree that these amazing cookies are pretty hard to resist.
When most people think of French baking, they think of eclairs, croissants, madeleines, and the ever-popular macaron. Not me. When I think of French baking, I think of these sweet chocolate-covered bon bon cookies. You see, many, many, many moons ago, when the dinosaurs were still roaming the Earth, Jupiter was still a planet, and my Depeche Mode “Violator” cassette tape was playing over and over again in my girly little teenage bedroom to the dismay of my mother, I made these cookies for my 9th or 10th-grade French class. As you can see, I’m apparently so old and forgetful that I can’t even properly remember which year of high school I actually made these sweet little buggers.
Thankfully, I’m not so old, that I can’t remember why I actually chose to make these particular cookies in hopes of getting an A+ on my French assignment. You see, the Betty Crocker cookbook that I discovered the original cookie recipe in, stated that these maraschino cherry-filled little bon bon cookies were somehow French. Y’all, they totally lied, and my French teacher reluctantly gave me an A+ after I showed her the cookbook. Today, if I had that original cookbook, I would totally share with you word for word the lies that were written within it. Alas, it is not to be. However, luckily for you, I did find another version of this lie of a recipe after scouring the internet for many hours.
So, today, don’t hate me because I’m sharing a seriously non-French recipe for this month’s “Baking of France” challenge, because, to me, this recipe will always be French. I mean, after all, in French bon means good, which means that these cookies are bon bon good, or good good good if you prefer. Me, personally, I choose to focus on the fact that these little buggers are seriously yummy and totally worth scarfing down no matter what their country of origin is. And they’re even better if you enjoy them will listening to “Personal Jesus” for the millionth time as your mom screams at you to please, please, please turn the radio down.
Ingredients:
- 12 to 14 Maraschino Cherries
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stems from 12 to 14 maraschino cherries and pat them dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl down a few times during this process.
- Add vanilla and blend on medium for 1 minute.
- In a small bowl, sift the flour and cornstarch together. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture a little bit at a time. Mix until just incorporated.
- Use a silicone spatula to bring the dough together. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to measure out mounds of dough. Roll each mound into a ball, and then flatten it into a disk. Place a cherry in the middle of each disk, bring the sides around it, and then pinch the seams to seal. Use the palms of your hands to gently roll into a ball again.
- Place each ball onto a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until cooked through. You do not want the cookies to brown, you want them to be dry when you lightly touch the top of them. Allow the cookies to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, microwave the wafers for 1 minute. Stir and then microwave again for an additional 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Dip the top of each cookie into the melted chocolate a few times, shaking off any excess. Garnish immediately with sprinkles.
- Allow the cookies to rest for at least 1 hour before storing in an airtight container.
Suggestions:
- Make sure to pat as much liquid as you can out of the maraschino cherries with a paper towel. Small cherries work best for this recipe.
- The cornstarch in this recipe helps keep these cookies soft.
- The cookie dough will be a bit crumbly. Working it with your hands should bring it together. If it’s too crumbly, add a little bit more vanilla to the dough.
- The baking time may vary depending on the size of your cookies.
- Melt the chocolate in a small narrow bowl. This will make dipping the cookies easier.
- Please note that I adapted the original recipe which inspired these cookies. I added more vanilla and salt. I also added cornstarch to the recipe.
- This recipe yields 12 to 14 cookies.
Improvements:
- Replace the sprinkles with finely chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
- Use white chocolate melting wafers instead of dark chocolate ones.
- Replace the cherries with chopped apricots.
Ingredients:
- 12 to 14 Maraschino Cherries
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Melting Wafers
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the stems from 12 to 14 maraschino cherries and pat them dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and salt together for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl down a few times during this process.
- Add vanilla and blend on medium for 1 minute.
- In a small bowl, sift the flour and cornstarch together. On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture a little bit at a time. Mix until just incorporated.
- Use a silicone spatula to bring the dough together. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to measure out mounds of dough. Roll each mound into a ball, and then flatten it into a disk. Place a cherry in the middle of each disk, bring the sides around it, and then pinch the seams to seal. Use the palms of your hands to gently roll into a ball again.
- Place each ball onto a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until cooked through. You do not want the cookies to brown, you want them to be dry when you lightly touch the top of them. Allow the cookies to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, microwave the wafers for 1 minute. Stir and then microwave again for an additional 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Dip the top of each cookie into the melted chocolate a few times, shaking off any excess. Garnish immediately with sprinkles.
- Allow the cookies to rest for at least 1 hour before storing in an airtight container.
PIN THIS RECIPE
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Make sure to check out all of the other great Baking Bloggers “Baking of France” recipes below. A huge thanks to Palatable Pastime & A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this event.
- Alsatian Bacon and Onion Tart (Tarte Flambée) from Making Miracles
- Blueberry & Cream Cheese Croque Cake from Sneha’s Recipe
- Broyé du Poitou (Shortbread from Poitiers) from Tara’s Multicultural Table
- Chocolate-Covered Cherry Bon Bon Cookies from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Crème Brûlée from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Easy Cauliflower Gratin from Cook with Renu
- Fraisier – French Strawberry Cake from Veg’n’Bake
- French Breakfast Puffs from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Gratin aux Courgette from Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking
- Pain de Campagne (French Country Bread) from Caroline’s Cooking
- Pissaladière – Bacon Onion Anchovy and Olive Tart from Food Lust People Love
- Poulet à la Normande from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
