Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Here's the cookie my husband choose for our daughter to make this year. It was his favorite from last year. He loves chocolate covered cherries so this is a natural for him. Last year someone on a group I belong to was raving about these cookies and my daughter found the recipe in one of her many cookie cookbooks, Santa's Favorite Cookies. Guess they were right since her Santa loves them.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

1 1/2 C. flour

1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa

1/2 C. butter, softened

1 C. sugar

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1 egg

1 1/2 t. vanilla

48 undrained maraschino cherries about a 10 oz. jar

6 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 C. sweetened condensed milk

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl, combine butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and blend until well combined.

Stir in the flour mixture and blend well. Shape into 1 inch balls.

Place on a ungreased cookie sheet. Press down in the center with your thumb. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Place a cherry in the center of each cookie.

In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk and 4 teaspoons of the cherry juice. Heat until chocolate melts.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate frosting over each cherry. (Frosting may be thinned with additional cherry juice, if needed.) Cover cherry.

Bake at 350°F. for about 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to a wire rack.

Makes 48 cookies.