Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

by bryn's Mother

Cookies:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
48 maraschino cherries

Topping:
6 oz. chocolate chips
1/2 cup condensed milk
4 teaspoons cherry juice (from the maraschinos)

Dough:
Stir together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add egg and vanilla.
Gradually add dry ingredients. The batter gets pretty stiff, so by this time I usually discard the beater and knead the dough with my hands. How so much dough ends up in my mouth I've no idea.
Shape into 1" balls then press your thumb in the center and put in a cherry.
Cover each cherry with 1/2 teaspoon of chocolate (or whatever looks good).

Topping:
Melt chocolate.
Add condensed milk and cherry juice.
If the mixture seems too thick, add more cherry juice.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

*soy vanilla yogurt and margarine may be substituted for condensed milk and butter, respectively, if you want a non-dairy version of the cookie.