Chocolate Covered Cherry Delights

The following cookie recipe was made and shared at my 2007 Holiday Cookie Swap. You can read about it and get other cookie recipes from the event HERE.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Delights

36-48 maraschino cherries, well drained (reserve juice)

Cookie Dough:
1/2 c butter or margarine, soft
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder

Frosting:
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c sweetened condensed milk
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 t maraschino cherry juice

Heat oven to 350. In large bowl, cream butter, sugar, egg, andvanilla until light and fluffy. Add remaining dough ingredients, blend at low speed until dough is stiff, about one minute. Shape dough into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Push 1 cherry halfway into each ball. When all cookies are ready, prepare frosting by melting
chocolate and milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add salt and juice and stir until smooth. Use frosting immediately. Spread 1/2 t frosting
over each cherry (frosting will spread during baking). Bake 8-10 min.