Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Cherries covered in chocolate. What can be better? Oh yes, put it on a cookie. That is better.

I love chocolate covered cherries and would buy the boxed goodness every year. Once I tried this cookie, I said goodbye to Queen Anne.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 egg

1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup flour

48 small maraschino cherries, drained but save
4 tsp of the juice

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla and egg.
2. Combine dry ingedients in a seperate bowl and then add to butter mixture.
3. Form balls with mixture, about 3/4inch to 1 inch and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Press center with thumb and place cherry in indentation.
4. Melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk on low heat and stir in the 4 tsp of cherry juice.
5. Use a spoon to place the chocolate mixture on the cherry cookie. ( I have found it easier to work with the chocolate in this step if it is warm so keep it on low heat. Just be careful not to burn the chocolate. Also, use a teaspoon to cover the cherry. It will go on easier than scooping out with a measuring spoon.)
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let rest on sheets for about one minute then move to a wire rack.
7. Enjoy!