Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies are a cookie version of the popular candy. They're also a good way to use up condensed milk leftover from other recipes.
1 ½cupswell stirred and aerated all-purpose flour (190 grams)
½cupunsweetened cocoa powder, natural(40 grams)
4ozbutter, softened(114 grams)
1cupgranulated sugar(200 grams)
¼teaspoonsalt -- add an extra ¼ if using unsalted butter
¼teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonbaking soda
1largeegg
1 ½teaspoonsvanilla
48largeMaraschino cherriesbuy 2 jars to be safe
1smallpackage semisweet chocolate chips or 6 oz chopped chocolate6 ounce
½cupsweetened 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.
Notes
The mixing technique for these is a little strange, with the baking powder and baking soda added to the creamed mixture rather than the flour mixture. Adding them to the more fluid batter (that is, before the flour is added) ensures they are more evenly distributed.