Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

I am turning into a big fan of shortbread... Usually I go straight for the chocolate but these sounded interesting with the chocolate and shortbread mix and then toss in some cherries? Not a super fan of cherries but I like them enough to give it a whirl. They were fantastic and I was not disappointed. Even the hubs, who is not a fan of anything different, inhaled about 4 of them before I could get them all the way cooled and into the freezer! :)

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Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies
(recipe found on pinterest via www.bhg.com)

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
12 ounces white chocolate baking squares, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 teaspoons shortening
edible decorations (optional)

Preheat oven to 325. Spread cherries on paper towels to dry thoroughly. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Add butter and cut in with pastry blender, or two forks, until fine crumbs are formed. Stir in cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of white chocolate and almond extract. Add food coloring at this time also if desired. Knead until dough is smooth. Shape into 3/4" balls and place 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a glass dipped in sugar, flatten each ball. Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are set. Transfer to wire rack and cool. After cookies are cooled melt remaining white chocolate and shortening together in a saucepan. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate and allow extra to drip off before placing back on wire rack or wax paper to harden. Roll or sprinkle on decorations before hardened.