In the middle of the rush to get ready for the holidays, Rebecca stopped by armed with two shopping bags full of ingredients. As I wrapped presents she worked on these Cherry Winks for her colleagues at the private school on Beacon Hill where she teaches.
Cherry Winks aren’t a part of my Christmas memory index, but they do bring to mind Christmases of times past when our family Christmas tree was festooned with wildly blinking colored lights. (I’m partial to the calmer, classic white lights now.) The unnaturally bright red and green of the maraschino cherry toppers fit right in with all that sparkles and glows this season.
A reader of Stir It Up! shared an interesting history of Cherry Winks with me: “That recipe has a long history. Ruth Derousseau of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, entered it into the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest of 1950 as Cherry Winks and won the Junior First Prize. I think pecans and dates were actually part of the original recipe.”
When I finally stretched out in a chair Cricket climbed into my lap and started purring loudly as if to say, “Stay here for awhile.”
Faster than a wink of an eye, Rebecca handed me a mug of peppermint tea and a plate of warm cherry blinks. She changed things up a bit from the traditional recipe, using pecans and dried dates. Crunchy and sweet with their festive cherries, these would make a delicious addition to any Christmas cookie platter.
Cherry Winks
1-3/4 cups cereal (Wheaties, Special K, or cornflakes)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried dates, chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
About 36 candied or maraschino cherries (red and green)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Crush cereal; set aside.
In large bowl, mix sugar, shortening, milk, vanilla and egg. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in dates and pecans.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into crushed cereal; roll gently until completely coated. Place cookies about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press cherry into each cookie.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or just until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.
Related posts Gingerbread cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting, Thanksgiving oatmeal cookies, Jam sandwich cookies, Ginger pumpkin ice cream sandwiches
Was doing really well with this recipe until I read, “candied cherries.” Growing up in a German household where Christmas stollen laden with candied fruit was considered a delicacy, I must now draw the line…no more of this stuff. Ever. However, I may try these with a dollop of raspberry preserves instead. Perhaps call them “Berry Blinks!”
Sounds like a good plan 🙂 I have to say, I was skeptical myself when Rebecca said she was bringing over maraschino cherries but they weren’t that bad and give the cookies the shiny blink I don’t think a berry would give you. Try them anyway! They are really good.
Hi Kevin!
This is Kendra’s friend Rebecca. I’m all for mixing and trying new ideas with cooking/baking. Good luck!
I love your article Kendra, not just because it features me, but your writing has a way of making one feel like letting out a good chuckle. Here’s to a wonderful holiday season!
Hooray for the holidays and friends who bake you cookies in your own home!! Now THAT’S a house call 🙂
Just to weigh in on the candied cherry controversy: I love maraschino cherries! I can and will eat them straight out of the jar. But my memory of candied cherries is something altogether stickier and fruitcakier. They are two different things, right?