These cherry-topped Cream Cheese Cookies are one of my family's favorite Christmas cookies! We've been making these festive, melt-in-your mouth cookies for as long as I can remember.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and cream cheese together. Add sugar, egg, and almond extract and mix until well combined. Sift dry ingredients together over the mixer bowl; mix on lowest speed until combined.
Chill dough for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Form dough into 1 inch balls. (Cookies turn out best when the dough balls are tiny.) Roll each ball in the chopped walnuts and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press a half cherry into each cookie.
Bake for 9-12 minutes, until barely set and lightly golden on the bottom. Be careful not to over-bake.
Notes
Recipe slightly adapted from Kristine's great-grandmother.