White Chocolate Cherry Shortbread

This was definitely my favorite new cookie recipe of the Christmas season.  I honestly don't know why I gave any of them away.  While I'm not a big cherry OR white chocolate OR almond flavoring fan... something about this combination just stunned me.  

Also- do you want to know what's a little bit ridiculous?  At the time I made these I had like SEVEN pounds of Walker's shortbread in my pantry.  Seriously, the big Costco tin costs like twenty dollars and has NINE full packages of cookies in it.  

I still made these.

And I didn't regret it for an instant.

Oh, and by the way, there's only one package of Walker's shortbread left in that tin.

Christmas Eve Chocolate Cherry Mice

Is it weird that mice remind me of Christmas?  I think it has something to do with going to the Nutcracker every December with my dad.  In case you didn't know, I was basically destined to be a professional ballerina.  Unfortunately my sense of rhythm didn't get the memo or something. 

At any rate, our kids loved these and I think we will be making them every Christmas eve from now on. They are best fresh so I recommend making them day-of.