Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

3 dozen

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. almond extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

36 maraschino cherries, drained (reserve juice)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1-3 tsp. maraschino cherry juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and extract and mix to combine. Combine the dry ingredients and add gradually to the creamed mixture. Shape into 1-inch balls and lay on prepared cookies sheets. Using your thumb—press down in the center of each cookie and place a cherry in each one.

In a small saucepan on low heat—stir the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk until the chocolate is melted. Stir in cherry juice a half teaspoon at a time until it’s just thin enough to spread. Cover each cherry with a teaspoon of chocolate mixture. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.