I bake Christmas cookies every year, and my hubby wants me to bake some spritz cookies that his grandfather used to make. They're in the shape of a flower.

Here's the problem: He used something that looked like part of a red gumdrop to put in the center of each flower when he baked them. They were not round, but more of a square. My mother-in-law said she thought it was red hots, but my hubby says it wasn't.

Any ideas on what this mystery ingredient was?? Any help is greatly appreciated!

Perhaps a candied cherry, like the ones they use in fruitcake. They can be found during the holidays. They come in both red and green. Hope that helps.

My dad still makes them each year as a tradition, but uses a bit of maraschino cherry vs. the candied cherry...

I'm thinking it must be a candied cherry. I look for them tomorrow at the store. Thanks for your suggestions!