Cherry Delights

I recently received notice of a Valentine Cookie Exchange that my stepdaughter was to be involved in just 4 hours before the event. AAAHHH!! I didn't have time to bake sugar cookies and frost them that day!

All good, I took myself off to Walmart in search of what I knew would be a good solution. I had seen Cherry Chip cake mix previously, and I had some Cherry Chocolate Chips in my freezer. I knew I could create a lovely cookie with those components in no time.

What I ended up with is a texture of cookie that I can only describe as delightful! I've added cream cheese to regular cookies before with great results, but I wanted these cookies to be a very different texture than most cake mix versions. The use of only egg whites vs. a whole egg did the trick....along with adding baking powder. I will be creating many more flavor varieties of these cookies in the future...they really are DELIGHFUL!

Cherry Delights

• 1 block Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Butter, at room temperature
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 1-2 drops Red Food Coloring, optional
• 1 box Cherry Chip Cake Mix
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 cup Cherry Chocolate Chips (or white chips if you can't find these)
• Sprinkles of choice

1. Mix the cream cheese and butter until fluffy. 
2. Add the egg whites and extracts. 
3. Add food coloring, if desired. 
4. Whisk the cake mix together with the baking powder before adding to the wet mix. Blend well.
5. Drop by desired size of scoop onto a baking stone or a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for 9-11 minutes in a preheated 350° oven.
7. Melt the chips and drizzle over the cooled cookies. Add sprinkles while chocolate is wet.
8. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Put waxed paper between cookies if stacking.