Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

I love chocolate covered cherries.  Its a tradition that I get them every year from my folks.  I could, right now, sit down and eat a good portion of a box. I'd feel sicker than sick, but I'd do it.

When I found these cookies I knew I had to try them.  KNEW it. And let me tell you, they do not disappoint. We have a cookie exchange tomorrow at work...I hope everyone likes them. If not, more for me.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen...depends on how big you make the cookies.

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).


2.Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and stir until smooth. Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls about the size of a walnut (larger if desired). Place on ungreased

3.Drain cherries and reserve juice. Place a cherry in indentation of each cookie ball.

4.In a saucepan, heat condensed milk and chocolate chips until chips are melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mixture over each cherry and spread to cover cherry. (More cherry juice may be added to keep frosting of spreading consistency.)

5.Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Side Note:  I didn't like adding the chocolate on top of the cherrie before cookie.  I did a batch where I did that, but the chocolate just melted away.  So I added an extra dallop after they cooled.  The second batch I didn't add any and added a dallop as soon as I took them out of the oven. Those turned out the best.