Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
Drain cherries, reserving 3 teaspoons juice. Cut cherries in half, and set aside.
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add egg, vanilla, and 2 teaspoons reserved cherry juice, beating until blended. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until blended after each addition. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place on ungreased baking sheets. Press center of each ball with thumb, and place 1 cherry half in indentation.
Cook chocolate and milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Stir in remaining reserved cherry juice. Cool slightly. Spoon 1 teaspoon mixture over each cherry half.
Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Freeze up to 3 months.
Yield: Makes 6 dozen