I based my Cherry Chocolate Stars on the pink cherry blossom trees in DC, the stars on our flag and the many white marble monuments in my city. I added pecans and walnuts to represent our "southern efficiency" and "northern charm," as described by President JFK.
Check out all our United States of Cookies recipes here. Recipe courtesy of Andrew Evans, Instagram Creator @WheresAndrew.
In a large bowl, whip soft butter until fluffy, then cream sugar and vanilla. Dribble in cherry juice and blend in well until mixture looks bright pink.
Sift all the flour over the pink mix and blend gently until dough begins to clump.
Stir in chopped cherries and nuts and continue to mix until evenly distributed.
Divide and gently pack the dough into two balls, seal with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Roll out dough on a well-floured surface until 1/3-inch thick. (Dough will be stiff at first, so give it a few minutes for to warm and soften before rolling.)
Using 2- or 3-inch cookie cutter, punch out stars, gently lifting with knife or spatula onto the parchment. Make sure stars are not touching.
Bake for 10-11 minutes, depending on desired softness. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to wire racks.
Melt white chocolate in a double boiler, stirring regularly until the chocolate is liquid and glossy.
With a soup spoon, drizzle the small stripes of chocolate across the cookies. Let chocolate harden before serving.
