Description

Chocolate Cherry Mice are adorable, festive treats made by wrapping maraschino cherries in a soft almond-flavored dough, dipping them in melted milk chocolate, and decorating them with Hershey's Kisses for heads, almond slices for ears, and icing details for eyes and nose. These charming confections are perfect for holiday parties or whimsical dessert tables.

Ingredients

Scale

Cherry Dough

20 ounces maraschino cherries with stems, well drained and dried
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted

Chocolate Coating and Decorations

10 ounces milk chocolate melting wafers
30 milk chocolate almond Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped, for the heads
Almond slices for the ears
Black decorative icing for the eyes
Red sugar pearls for the nose

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Instructions

Prepare baking trays: Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside to keep the mice from sticking.
Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, corn syrup, and almond extract. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to mix until smooth and fully combined.
Add powdered sugar: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar into the bowl and knead together until a soft, pliable dough forms.
Form dough discs around cherries: Pinch off approximately ½ tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball, then flatten it in the palm to form a disc. Place a maraschino cherry in the center, keeping the stem exposed, and wrap the dough around it.
Smooth the dough balls: Gently roll each wrapped cherry in your palms to smooth the surface, being careful not to break the stems. Place each finished mouse onto the prepared baking sheets as you go.
Chill the mice: Refrigerate the baking trays until the dough is firm, approximately 2 to 4 hours.
Melt chocolate wafers: Once chilled, melt the milk chocolate wafers until smooth, using either 30-second increments in the microwave, a double boiler, or a candy melting pot over low heat.
Dip cherries in chocolate: Holding each mouse gently by the stem, dip it into the melted chocolate, coating the dough-covered cherry, then lay it on its side on the lined tray.
Add heads and ears: Before the chocolate sets, press the bottom of a Hershey's Kiss onto the side opposite the stem to form the head. Place two almond slices between the cherry body and the Kiss head for ears.
Repeat coating and decorating: Continue dipping and decorating all remaining mice following the same steps.
Create faces: Use a toothpick or skewer to dab a tiny drop of melted chocolate onto the tip of each Kiss and attach a red sugar pearl for the nose. Use black decorative icing to dot two eyes on each Kiss for the mice’s faces.
Chill until serving: Refrigerate completed mice until the chocolate sets and they are ready to serve.

Notes

Use premium chocolate melting wafers such as Ghirardelli for best texture and flavor; avoid standard chocolate candy melts.
The dough should be soft and flexible; add more powdered sugar if sticky or chill briefly if too soft to handle easily.
When melting chocolate in the microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second increments, stirring between each until smooth.
A double boiler or candy melter helps maintain smooth, warm chocolate that's ideal for dipping.
Any flavor of Hershey Kiss can be used as heads, but choose one that complements the chocolate coating.
For eyes, you can substitute candy eyeballs or chocolate drops in place of black decorative icing.
Almond extract pairs well with almond Kisses; vanilla or coconut extract are suitable alternatives if preferred.
Store leftover mice covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks to maintain freshness.
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Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 mouse
Calories: 150 kcal
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 25 mg
Fat: 7 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 1 g
Cholesterol: 15 mg