Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Ingredients

Amount		Ingredient	Preparation
1 1/2	cups	flour, all-purpose
1/2	cup	cocoa powder	unsweetened
1/4	teaspoon	salt
1/4	teaspoon	baking powder
1/4	teaspoon	baking soda
1/2	cup	butter	or margarine, softened
1	cup	sugar
1	each	egg
1 1/2	teaspoons	vanilla extract
48	each	maraschino cherries
Frosting
6	ounces	chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
1/2	cup	milk, sweetened condensed
5	teaspoons	cherry syrup

Directions

1. In bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla to butter-sugar mixture and beat well.

Gradually add dry ingredients to butter-sugar mixture and beat
until well blended.

2. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie
sheet and push down center of each ball with thumb.

Drain cherries and reserve juice.

Place 1 cherry in center of each indentation.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. For frosting, put chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in small saucepan. Heat until chocolate melts. Stir in 4 teaspoons cherry juice.

If too thick, add more juice.

4. Spoon 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry. Spread to
cover cherry.

Bake 10 minutes or until done. Do not overcook.

Remove to wire rack and cool.

The cookies freeze nicely.