Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

Rich, chocolaty and chewy — like the chewy edge of a brownie but with a cherry, fudgey center.  Yum! Who needs a date on Valentine’s Day when you can have plate full of these cookies? Remember these cookies after Valentine’s Day too.   They are quick and easy to make and their bite-size, petite portion make them a great “fancy” cookie for teas, showers or Christmas cookie exchanges.In fact, this recipe is from a Christmas book, Christmas at the Mansion, It’s Memories and Menus.  Written by former Missouri First Lady and US Senator, Jean Carnahan, it highlights the history of Christmas entertaining at the Missouri Governor’s Mansion.

Better than a box of chocolates.

 

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2  cup  unsweetened cocoa

dash of salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries

Yields 36 cookies.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar on low-speed until fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla; beat well.  Stir in dry ingredients and mix well.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Press down center with thumb.

Drain cherries; reserving juice.  Place half a cherry in the center of each cookie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool on rack for 10 – 15 minutes.

Frosting

1 (6 ounces) package chocolate chips

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon cherry juice

Combine chocolate chips and milk in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until chocolate melts. Stir in cherry juice.  Spoon 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry-topped cookie 3-5 minutes after the cookies come out of the oven.

Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies Tips

• The dough will be dry and somewhat crumbly but should bind together when pressed into balls.
• The chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk may seem stiff until cherry juice is added.
• Use a 1” ice cream scoop to make uniform sized cookies.