Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas mark 3
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and soft. Add the vanilla essence, then fold in the flour. Put the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a star shaped nozzle. Pipe 16-18 fairly small whirls onto two greased baking trays. Top each with half a cherry. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Leave them to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
