Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies are a spinoff of an old Pillsbury Bake-Off recipe called Aunt Ann's Chocolate Sundae Cookies. They are small, soft, chocolate cookies with fudge covered cherry centers. Not only are they delicious and unique, but they're a good way to use up partial cans of condensed milk.
Maraschino Cherries
Maraschino cherries are the star of the show here, as this recipe does not call for half a marshmallow like Aunt Ann's. Also, in this recipe the cherries are buried under the fudge, while in Aunt Ann's they sit stately on top.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies Size
Back when I first attempted Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies, I made the cookie dough balls a bit larger than they are supposed to be and had a higher ratio of dough to cherry and chocolate. The correct way to make these is with a very small cookie base (you should get 48 balls) with a whole cherry on top and generous spoon of fudge mixture.
Unfortunately, the dough is very thick so molding the little balls takes some time. Also, you'll need 48 cherries. The original recipe called for one jar, but one jar doesn't contain 48 cherries so you'll need two jars.
These are good little cookies. They taste better after they've sat around for a few hours. For longer term storage, put them in a freezer bag and freeze.
Using an Opened Can of Condensed Milk
If you're opening a fresh can of condensed milk just to make these cookies, I suggest using the second half of the can for a half batch (8 inch square) pan of Magic Cookie Bars, so keep that in mind. I don't think you'll want to double this recipe because it is very tedious and it does not double well. You could also use any remaining to make Millionaire Shortbread, Oatmeal Magic Cookie Bars, 5-Minute Magic Cookies, half a batch of fudge or try it in a no-egg ice cream recipe.
Recipe
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups well stirred and aerated all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, natural (40 grams)
- 4 oz butter, softened (114 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt -- add an extra ¼ if using unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 48 large Maraschino cherries buy 2 jars to be safe
- 1 small package semisweet chocolate chips or 6 oz chopped chocolate 6 ounce
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk (about half a can)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine flour and cocoa. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 30 seconds or until softened. Add sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda and continue beating until well combined. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Stir in the flour mixture being careful not to over-beat.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on ungreased baking sheet. Press down center of each ball with thumb.
- Drain maraschino cherries, reserving juice. Place a cherry in the center of each cookie.
- In a small saucepan combine the chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Heat until chocolate is melted.
- Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice. Spoon about 1 tsp of the chocolate mixture over each cherry on unbaked, spreading to cover cherry.
- (Frosting may be thinned with additional cherry juice if necessary.)
- Bake in preheated oven set to 350° for about 10 minutes or until done. Remove to wire rack and cool. Cover and store at room temperature up to two days.
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