Amaretto Cherries with Dumplings

Ingredients

• 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 zest
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup 2% milk
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• Vanilla ice cream, optional

Directions

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 cherry mixture.
3. For dumplings, in a small bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and salt. In another bowl, whisk milk and melted butter. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.
4. Drop by tablespoonfuls on top of hot cherry mixture. Cook, covered, 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of dumplings comes out clean. If desired, serve warm, with ice cream.