Cherry Cheesecake Cookies

I noticed that I have only posted sweet sugary things for quite a while. I do cook actual meals but I refuse to post a recipe without a picture. Mostly because I refuse to make a new recipe without a picture. How the heck am I suppose to know if I've screwed it up if I don't know what it is suppose to look like. And since it gets dark here at 4:30 p.m. (no I'm not exaggerating) that kind of puts a damper on the lighting issue. So until the days get longer, desserts it is. I've been itching to make these cookies since I first saw them on My Kitchen Cafe. Today the stars aligned. The babes was taking a nice long nappy and the 2 year old was immersed in Yo Gabba Gabba so I whipped up a batch. Actually half a batch which made just short of 3 dozen. I don't want to say that they were disappointing but they left me wanting more cheesecake flavor. Next time I might up the amount of cream cheese in the recipe. I am weird though so you may love them just the way they are. Don't get me wrong, these are very good, I think I was just craving actual cheesecake today.

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 sticks butter, softened

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. graham cracker crumbs

2 cans (20 oz.) cherry pie filling

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. In another bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners. Place graham cracker crumbs in a shallow dish. Roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls, then roll the balls in cracker crumbs. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using a tablespoon measure, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Place 3 cherries in the dimple. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.