AMARETTO CHERRIES WITH DUMPLINGS

Treat everyone to a dessert of comfort food—warm tart cherries drizzled with amaretto and topped with fluffy dumplings. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is the perfect finishing touch.

TASTE OF HOME TEST KITCHEN



PREP: 15 MIN. • COOK:3/4 HOURS • MAKES: 6 SERVINGS


2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) pitted tart cherries

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup amaretto or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

DUMPLINGS

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup 2% milk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Vanilla ice cream, optional

1. Drain cherries, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Place cherries in a 3-qt. slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt; stir in reserved juice until smooth. Stir into cherries. Cook, covered, on high 7 hours. Drizzle amaretto over the cherry mixture.

3. For dumplings, in a small bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon peel and salt. In another bowl, whisk milk and melted butter. Add to the flour mixture; stir just until moistened.

4. Drop by tablespoonfuls on top of the hot cherry mixture. Cook, covered, for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of dumplings comes out clean. If desired, serve warm with ice cream.