1. Cream the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light, smooth, and slightly fluffy.

2. Beat in the vanilla extract and almond extract until the mixture is fragrant and fully combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and fine sea salt.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until a soft dough forms and no streaks of flour remain.

5. Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, until slightly firm but still scoopable.

6. While the dough chills, drain the maraschino cherries very well and pat them completely dry with paper towels. Cut large cherries in half.

7. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, flatten it slightly in your palm, and place a cherry or cherry half in the center. Wrap the dough around the cherry and roll into a smooth ball, making sure no cherry shows.

9. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1–2 inches apart.

10. Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the bottoms are just barely golden and the tops look set but still pale.

11. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3–4 minutes, just until they are firm enough to handle but still warm.

12. Gently roll each warm cookie in the remaining powdered sugar until fully coated, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

13. If desired, dust the cooled cookies with a second light coating of powdered sugar before serving for an extra snowy look.