Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

The neat trick about these cookies are that they are frosted before they're baked. Under the frosting hides a plump, red cherry!

Recipe Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Cooking Directions:

1. Combine the flour and coca powder. Set aside.
2. Drain the maraschino cherries, reserving juice. Place cherries on paper towels to drain thoroughly. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; beat until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on an ungreased cookies sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each ball. Place a cherry in each center.
5. For frosting, in a small saucepan combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.
6. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry. (If necessary, thin frosting with additional cherry juice.)
7. Bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen cookies.