Nothing beats a playful, sweet treat that also looks like a little work of art. That’s exactly what the Chocolate Cherry Mice Recipe delivers—adorable, bite-sized mice made with maraschino cherries and milk chocolate that charm everyone at the party. Each one is as much fun to make as it is to eat!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I still remember the first time I made this Chocolate Cherry Mice Recipe for a holiday get-together—everyone couldn’t stop admiring how cute the mice looked before devouring them. This recipe is a total crowd-pleaser, combining simple ingredients with a unique presentation anyone can pull off.
- Delightful Presentation: These chocolate-dipped mice with almond ears are an adorable conversation starter on any dessert table.
- Simple Ingredients: You probably already have most of what you need—a huge win in last-minute prepping!
- Easy Assembly: No fancy techniques required; I’ll guide you through making the dough soft and workable.
- Customizable Flair: You can swap out extracts, chocolates, and decorations to fit your taste or occasion.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This recipe relies on a handful of quality ingredients that come together perfectly—sweet cherries with sturdy stems, rich chocolate for dipping, and a smooth, almond-infused dough that molds like a dream. Here’s why each plays a starring role:
- Maraschino cherries with stems: The stems act as the “tails” of your mice, so picking cherries with long, intact stems is key for the cutest results.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps bind the dough while keeping flavors balanced.
- Corn syrup: Gives the dough a smooth shine and keeps it pliable, which is super helpful when wrapping cherries.
- Almond extract: My favorite addition here to complement the chocolate and almond ears; vanilla or coconut extracts can be fun swaps.
- Powdered sugar: Sifted, so your dough stays smooth and lump-free for easy handling.
- Milk chocolate melting wafers: Choose high-quality chocolate for a silky coating that hardens just right without cracking.
- Milk chocolate almond Hershey's Kisses: The perfect “heads” for your mice—with just enough heft and shape to sit pretty on the chocolate bodies.
- Almond slices: Sliced thinly to pop in as dainty ears, giving your mice that adorable character.
- Black decorative icing: For drawing on tiny eyes—details make all the difference here!
- Red sugar pearls: The cutest little noses that really bring your mice to life.
Make It Your Way
I love tweaking this Chocolate Cherry Mice Recipe depending on the season or who I'm making it for. It’s fun to swap out extracts or chocolates to keep it fresh and suited to your personal style.
- Variation: One holiday, I tried dark chocolate wafers instead of milk chocolate, and it gave the mice a richer, more sophisticated taste—my family couldn’t get enough!
- Dietary Modifications: For a dairy-free version, try using a vegan butter substitute and dark chocolate that’s dairy-free.
- Seasonal Changes: Using cherry cordial or soaking cherries in liquor before dipping can add a grown-up twist for special occasions.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Chocolate Cherry Mice Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace and Ingredients
Line two baking trays with parchment paper to keep your mice safe and easy to move. Make sure your maraschino cherries are well drained and thoroughly dried—this helps the dough stick better and prevents soggy mice later.
Step 2: Mix the Dough to Soft Perfection
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, corn syrup, and almond extract with a hand mixer on medium speed until everything is smooth. Then gradually add sifted powdered sugar and knead with your hands to form a soft, pliable dough—think cookie dough texture, but a bit stickier. Don’t worry if it feels a little tacky; a quick chill can help manage it before shaping.
Step 3: Wrap the Cherries Like a Pro
Pinch off about half a tablespoon of dough, roll it into a ball, then gently flatten it into a disc in your palm. Place a cherry (stem side up) in the center and wrap dough around it, leaving the stem sticking out—this is your mouse’s tail! Roll gently to smooth the dough but be careful not to break those precious tails.
Step 4: Chill and Dip in Chocolate
Arrange your dough-wrapped cherries on the baking trays and pop them into the fridge for 2 to 4 hours. When firm, melt your milk chocolate wafers gently in the microwave or double boiler. Holding the mice by their stems, dip each one completely in chocolate, then lay on its side back on the tray.
Step 5: Add Heads, Ears, and Faces
Before the chocolate sets, press a Hershey’s Kiss onto the opposite side of the stem as the mouse’s head. Slip two almond slices between the chocolate “body” and head for ears. Then, use a toothpick dipped in melted chocolate to attach a red sugar pearl nose on the Kiss and draw tiny black eyes with decorative icing.
Top Tip
After making these mice a few times, I found these tips really make the process smoother and the results cuter.
- Keep Cherries Dry: Pat cherries dry after draining to avoid soggy dough and to help prevent chocolate from seizing while dipping.
- Temperature Control: Don’t overheat the chocolate—warm and smooth is perfect, but too hot will melt your dough mice or make dipping tricky.
- Work in Batches: Dip and decorate several mice at a time, but take breaks if the chocolate thickens—refresh by gently reheating as needed.
- Be Gentle: Handling the mice carefully by the stems keeps those precious tails intact and makes for adorable finished treats.
How to Serve Chocolate Cherry Mice Recipe
Garnishes
I usually keep the garnishes simple—almond ears and sugar pearl noses are enough for me. Sometimes I sprinkle a tiny dusting of edible glitter for festive sparkle, especially around holidays. It’s such a fun touch without overpowering the look.
Side Dishes
These mice are perfect on their own or paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a rich chocolate mousse for dessert spreads. I’ve also served them alongside coffee and tea at brunch — they’re a whimsical sweet nibble that always makes guests smile.
Creative Ways to Present
A recent favorite is arranging them in a cheesecloth “nest” on a rustic platter for a woodland-themed party — everyone loved the playful nature of biting into these charming little critters. You can also place them in mini cupcake liners or small treat boxes for gift giving.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover mice covered tightly in an airtight container in the fridge. They stay fresh and delicious for up to three weeks, which is great if you want to make them ahead for an event.
Freezing
Freezing works well too—I place the mice in a single layer on a tray first, freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge to keep their shape and texture intact.
Reheating
No reheating needed—these mice are best served cold or at room temperature. Just let frozen ones thaw gently to avoid condensation making the chocolate sticky.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Frozen cherries don’t have stems and are much juicier, so they won’t hold the dough properly and could make the mice soggy. Maraschino cherries with stems are essential for both structure and appearance.
Vanilla extract is a perfect substitute if almond extract isn’t on hand. You can also experiment with coconut extract for a tropical twist. The mice will still taste amazing with these alternatives.
Use a good-quality chocolate melting wafer or couverture chocolate and temper if you’re comfortable with that. Avoid sudden temperature changes—once dipped, let the chocolate set at room temperature or in the fridge gently for smooth, shiny coating.
Absolutely! These mice can be made a few days ahead and stored refrigerated. In fact, making them in advance lets flavors meld, and keeping them chilled ensures they maintain their shape and fresh texture.
Final Thoughts
This Chocolate Cherry Mice Recipe has become one of my go-to festive treats, especially when I want to surprise friends with something both charming and delicious. It’s easy enough that anyone can master it, but creative enough to wow a crowd. I really hope you enjoy making—and munching on—these little chocolatey critters as much as I do!
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Chocolate Cherry Mice Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 30 mice
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
Delightfully cute and delicious Chocolate Cherry Mice are an adorable treat perfect for parties or holiday gatherings. Maraschino cherries are wrapped in a sweet almond-flavored dough, chilled, then dipped in smooth milk chocolate and decorated with chocolate Hershey’s Kisses, almond slice ears, and cute candy eyes and noses. These charming little mice combine fruity sweetness with rich chocolate for a fun and whimsical dessert everyone will love.
Ingredients
For the Dough and Filling
- 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
For the Chocolate Coating and Decoration
- 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
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside to keep the mice from sticking during assembly.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, corn syrup, and almond extract. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to blend until smooth and fully combined.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar into the mixture and knead together with your hands or a spoon until a soft, pliable dough forms.
- Shape Dough Around Cherries: Pinch off approximately ½ tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball into a disc shape in your palm, then place a maraschino cherry in the center with the stem exposed. Wrap the dough around the cherry, then gently roll in your palms to smooth the surface without breaking off the stem. Place each shaped mouse on the prepared baking sheet as you finish.
- Chill the Mice: Transfer the tray to the refrigerator and chill for 2 to 4 hours until the dough is firm enough to dip.
- Melt Chocolate: Melt the milk chocolate wafers until smooth using a microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, or melt in a double boiler or candy melting pot over low heat.
- Dip Mice in Chocolate: Holding each cherry mouse gently by the stem, dip it into the melted chocolate, coating evenly. Lay the dipped cherry on its side on the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Attach Heads and Ears: Immediately before the chocolate sets, press the bottom of a Hershey’s Kiss onto the side opposite the stem to form the mouse’s head. Place two almond slices between the cherry body and the Kiss to create ears.
- Decorate Faces: Use a toothpick to dab a small drop of melted chocolate onto the tip of the Kiss, then attach a red sugar pearl for the nose and hold until set. Dot two eyes using black decorative icing. Repeat for all mice.
- Final Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the decorated mice until the chocolate is fully set, about 30 minutes, then serve or store refrigerated.
Notes
- Use premium chocolate melting wafers like Ghirardelli for best flavor and texture; avoid standard candy melts.
- If dough is too sticky, add more powdered sugar or chill briefly to handle easily.
- When melting chocolate in the microwave, use a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring well each time.
- A double boiler or candy melter keeps chocolate smooth and warm for dipping.
- You can use any flavor Hershey Kiss that matches the chocolate coating color for the mouse heads.
- Candy eyeballs or chocolate drops are good alternatives for decorating eyes instead of black icing.
- Almond extract complements the almond Kisses well; vanilla or coconut extract are good substitutes.
- Store leftover mice covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks to maintain freshness.
- Please leave a review to share your feedback and support the recipe creator’s small business.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mouse
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
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