Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

This has become one of my favorite Christmas cookies over the years. I first started making them when I was single, and over the years have perfected them to come out exactly how we like them. Little did I know that my kids would LOVE chocolate and these would become favorite cookies of theirs as well. In recent years I have had to start making a double batch if we wanted to have any to share with friends and family because the kids loved them so much. They are quite rich and decadent, and definitely a more filling cookie than some, but they will always be one of my favorites. Every year this cookie and the sugar cookies that I wrote about last week are our two non-negotiable cookies. Sometimes I try out other new ones or make old favorites from my childhood, and as long as they don’t replace one of those two cookies then my family doesn’t mind!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

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Course Dessert

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 tsp salt divided
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 16 oz jar maraschino cherries
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, or the base of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  
• In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, ¼ tsp. of salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
• Slowly add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until fully combined.
• Remove cherries from jar and set on a plate lined with a paper towel, reserving 1 ½ tsp. of the juice.  Pat cherries dry.
• Take about 1 tablespoon of dough, roll it into a ball in your hand and then flatten to about ¼ to ½ inch thick.  (You want it to be thick enough that it will not break in the next step).
• Place a cherry in the center of the dough circle and wrap the dough completely around the cherry to form a ball.
• Place the cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until set.  Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting, heat the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a small saucepan until the chips are melted.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and add reserved cherry juice and remaining ¼ tsp. of salt.
• Using a spoon, scoop the chocolate mixture on the cookies and spread out to evenly coat the top and sides of the cookies.  You will want to work quickly; as the frosting cools it begins to set and becomes harder to work with.