Ooo i have no idea but they sound like something i should be making.

Drain the cherries.....then marinate in brandy and add the brandy tot he mix.

Thank you for verifying. That is what I've been doing but thought maybe I should drain again.

Has anyone tried using dried cherries instead of Maraschino cherries? I like dried much better.

Ok. I have no clue what a cream cheese brandy cherry ball is but anything with a name of cream cheese brandy cherry ball is something I HAVE to try = recipe please.

Agree - I'm interested in seeing that recipe too!

Is it this one? There's an identical one from Thibeault's Table too:

recipegoldmine.com/candyball/cream-cheese-brandy-balls.html

https://sites.google.com/site/thibeaultstablerecipes/cream-cheese-brandy-cherry-balls

Recipe says nothing about draining the cherries, so I'm assuming the liquid is supposed to be included.

If it's taking very long to cool, you might try putting it in a shallower bowl/container so more surface area is exposed.

There's also this one, which does mention draining:

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/brandied-cherry-balls/

Yes it is the recipe from Thibeault's Table. And it is awesome.

Brandy, chocolate, and coconut...oh my! I think I'm going to try these as a little something extra for dessert on Thanksgiving (and any extras added to my yearly pig-out the day after after everyone's gone and the house is put back in order).

Maybe @ann_t can give you a definitive answer. :)

So.... should you drain the brandy off the cherries? It sounds like "No".

What are the Balls like made with dried cherries versus Marachino?

I think dried cherries would soak up more liquor than maraschino cherries...

I saw another recipe that mentioned a slotted spoon......when ever any recipe calls for a can or jar of something I assume it means drained unless it says other wise. I rain my beans, my canned pineapple chunks, my peach slices etc.

Remove the cherries from the jar with a slotted spoon....marinate in the brandy and include the marinade in the mix....but NOT the juice in the jar!

I sometimes buy cherries in a giant jar from Costco....how would you know how much juice to include?

I guess I wasn’t clear. I didn’t mean the cherry juice; I meant the brandy. Does one add the brandy or not?

I do not add the brandy, or the cherry juice. I make these every year, thanks to AnnT. My oldest daughter loves them, I even canned cherries in brandy just to make the candy. Then I found out tht everyone likes them better without the brandy, so now I just use canned sweet cherries, drain off the liquid and forget about brandy altogether.

Anyway, I drain off the liquid, both the juice from the cherries and the brandy I marinated the cherries in. Mother always liked to use the drained brandy to mix with 7 cup...

Annie

I really do not care for brandy, so Annie's comment is helpful.

And did you mean 7-Up, Annie? That seems rather like a Shirley Temple, to me.

Annie, I loved that your Mom used the Brandy in her 7-Up. 😄

And, thank you for answering my questions because i would really like to make these this December.

LOL, Carol, I did mean 7-up. It had brandy in it, so definitely not a Shirley Temple, which has no alcohol at all. The "ladies" in the family also used the fruit from the Cherry Bounce Aunt Ellen made to mix with 7-Up, they called them "spritzers" and I thought it sounded so sophisticated!

Kate, they are a little messy to deal with but they all get eaten and my oldest daughter loves them. Because she's celiac, there are many holiday treats she doesn't get to have, so I always make these. And, since she's not supposed to have alcohol because of her seizure medications, double bonus on the lack of brandy (although I doubt that small amount would be a problem). Poor Mother, though, now there's no cherry brandy for her 7-Up. (grin)

Annie

The first few times I made them, I drained the brandy off but last time, I added it back in with the cherries and I preferred that version. I'm going to be making dozens for gifts next week. :)

Am I supposed to melt the marshmallows, or just toss them in there whole?

I agree, I cut even the small ones at least in half. Kitchen shears work well, sprayed with a little oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking. It does disperse them more evenly and I don't want that big bite of marshmallow, I want a bit of everything in that bite...

Good idea, Chi, to chop the coconut. I've just done it with a big chef's knife but the food processor would be faster and neater. Otherwise the shreds are too long/big.

Annie

Chi, what blade do you use in the FP for the coconut?

I have a super basic food processor so it's just the standard blade. I don't know what it's called, sorry! Just needs a few pulses.

I made the brandied balls. The only thing I could find in my cupboard was Apple Brandy, so that is what I used. (The 'dough' tastes really good! ) I got 58 1-inch balls, 48 rolled in regular coconut and 10 plain for those who can't have coconut. I didn't make the coconut small because what I bought didn't seem too big.

I have taste-testers more tham willing to give me their opinions tomorrow. 😁

Kate, they are nice looking. What did your tasters think?

100% are for decadent. I was only having 1 each evening. Today I somehow ate 3. Can't imagine how that happened. 🙄

And they are getting a stronger taste as each day goes on. Maybe I should make the second batch now and put them away to age. ?