Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Dr. Sweetpea is a Chocolate Covered Cherry fanatic. He is the type that could down an entire box of Cordial Cherries in one sitting, not joking. So when I saw this Chocolate Covered Cherry cookie recipe in my America's Test Kitchen Holiday Cookbook, I knew that he would love these. I was definitely right because he devoured 4 cookies as soon as they came out of the oven. These cherry cookies never stood a chance! The chewy chocolate cookie, with the juicy cherry, and chocolate topping is over the top delicious. Definitely make these for your holiday cookie tray this year. 

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

(Source: America's Test Kitchen)

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

30 maraschino cherries

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder & salt together, set aside. In a mixer beat the butter until softened. Add the sugar and cream the mixture until like & fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture & beat until well mixed. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls & place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheets. Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.

Drain the cherries reserving the juice. Remove the stems and place a cherry into the indentation in each cookie. Put the chocolate chips & condensed milk in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the cherry juice. Spoon 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of chocolate over the top of each cherry covering it completely. If the chocolate is too thick add a little more cherry juice. Bake for 6-7 minutes & cool on a rack.