Servings: 24

Cookie Dough: subheading: Cookie Dough:
¼ cup butter at room temperature ¼ cup butter at room temperature
¼ cup shortening ¼ cup shortening
¼ cup packed brown sugar ¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg separated, room temperature 1 large egg separated, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour 1 cup flour
1 cup finely chopped pecans 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Filling: subheading: Filling:
⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
2 teaspoons butter at room temperature 2 teaspoons butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon milk 1 teaspoon milk
Topping: subheading: Topping:
24 maraschino cherries rinsed and dried off 24 maraschino cherries rinsed and dried off
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate chips I use Ghirardelli 6 ounces good-quality white chocolate chips I use Ghirardelli

In a large bowl, cream together butter, shortening, brown sugar, and salt until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla until well incorporated.
Gradually beat the flour into creamed mixture. Refrigerate cookie dough, covered, until easy to handle, at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. In a shallow bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Place pecans on a plate or in a shallow bowl. Using a #60 cookie scoop, shape dough into balls. Dip balls in the egg white then roll in pecans.
Place balls 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press an indentation in the center of each with the back of a teaspoon, being careful not to make the bottom too thin or create a hole. Bake until edges are light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and let cool for 3 minutes on the pan and then transfer from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before filling.
In a small bowl, beat confectioners’ sugar, cherry juice, butter, and milk until smooth. Fill each cookie with ¼ tsp. filling. Top with 1 cherry.
Melt white chocolate chips according to package directions. Drizzle with white chocolate. Let stand until set.