Chocolate-Covered-Cherry Cookies

Rich and gooey, chocolate goodness

I found this recipe while looking through my Aunt Lynn's recipe boxes, and was instantly intrigued.  My kids and younger cousins remembered them well as a staple at Christmas-time.  They're fun, and easy to make.  I was a bit daunted at the idea of putting frosting on an unbaked cookie, but the frosting seeps into the cookie during baking, giving the final product a fudge-like center.

2 (10 ounce) jars of maraschino cherries

1 cup butter, softened

2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

Drain cherries, reserving 3 teaspoons of juice.  Cut cherries in half, and set aside on paper towel lined plate.

In saucepan, melt chocolate chips in milk, over low heat, stirring occasionally.  Stir in 1 teaspoon cherry juice.  Remove from burner, but keep mixture warm. 

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy; add egg, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons of cherry juice, beating until well blended.  Combine remaining dry ingredients; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating after each addition, until well blended.  Dough will be heavy, but sticky. 

Using a 1 teaspoon measure, scoop dough and roll into a ball, using your hands.  Place on parchment lined cookie sheets, about an inch apart.  Press center of each ball with thumb, and place one cherry half in indentation.  They look so cute!

Spoon one teaspoonful of chocolate mixture, over each cherry half.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.