CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY COOKIES by TwT

[beemaster]

CHOCOLATE COVERED
CHERRY COOKIES
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon soda
½ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
1 (10 ounce) jar Maraschino cherries, drained, reserve juice
1 (6 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and
soda, blending well; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat together butter or
margarine and sugar on low speed until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat
well. Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture; beat until
smooth and well blended. With hands, shape dough into 1-inch balls;
place on ungreased baking sheet. Press down center of dough with
thumb. Drain Maraschino cherries well, reserving juice. Place a cherry
in the center indention of each cookie. In a small saucepan combine
chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk; heat over low heat until
chocolate is melted. Stir in 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the reserved
cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the topping over each cherry,
spreading over to cover cherry. If frosting seems too thick, thin with a little
more cherry juice. Bake at 350º for 10 minutes, or until done. Remove
to wire rack to cool. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.