Rainy Day Baking

I'm biting into a luscious chocolate cookie that I just baked.  There are three of us at the house these days.  I try to bake everybody's favorite cookie and that's all.  Of course, we serve the cookies to whoever may walk in the door and give some away as best we can.  My husband's favorite are Sugar Cookies, DD2's favorite are Peanut Butter Blossoms.  Mine, well, mine are the best by far.  Mine are the awesomest cookies.  They are Chocolate Covered Cherry cookies.  Now, you can't tempt me with chocolate covered cherries.  But, these cookies are amazing.  This is an old, old recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  They don't even have it on their website.  {Whoa, I just discovered a short cut that I didn't know about.} Okay, on to the recipe.  

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 tsp vanilla

Frosting
2- 10 oz jars small maraschino cherries (about 48) or 24 large cherries, halved
1- 6 oz package (1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt; set aside.

 I used really awesome cocoa from Sur La Table that a salesperson talked me into.

In a large mixer bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and beat on low till fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla, beat well on medium speed.  Gradually add flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture, beating on low till well blended.  

Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (I used parchment and a Silpat, not together). Press down center of each ball with thumb. Drain maraschino cherries, reserving the juice. Press a small cherry or a large cherry half into the center of each ball of cookie dough.

The frosting is placed on the cookie BEFORE baking. Weird, I know. For frosting, in a small heavy saucepan melt chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk over low heat, stirring often. Stir in 4 tsp of reserved cherry juice. Spoon about 1 tsp frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry. If necessary, add additional cherry juice 1 tsp at a time to thin frosting.  

Bake in a 350* oven about 10 minutes or till done.  Remove and cool on wire rack.  Be careful because they can break easily before they cool off.  Makes 48 cookies.  

So incredibly good!  You'll need a glass of milk.  Enjoy and let me know if you try them.
I'm adding this recipe to Pleasant Home's Cookie Exchange.  Check out the amazing cookie recipes posted.