Awesome Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies
Submitted by nkrohan
Chocolate cherry cookies with a maraschino cherry tucked into each thumbprint and a glossy chocolate-condensed milk frosting spooned over the top before baking.
YIELD
48 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minA chocolate cherry cookie with a sneaky construction. Each cocoa-rich dough ball gets a thumbprint pressed into the top, a maraschino cherry slotted into the well, then a generous teaspoon of warm chocolate frosting spooned over to seal everything in before baking. The frosting hardens around the cherry as the cookie bakes, hiding it like buried treasure.
The frosting is just three things, semi-sweet chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, and a few teaspoons of reserved cherry juice. The juice tints the chocolate ever so slightly red and pulls the cherry flavor through into the coating itself.
Drain the maraschino cherries thoroughly before placing. Excess juice in the well bleeds out during baking and disrupts the frosting cap.
Pro Tips
- Press a deeper thumbprint than feels right, the cookies puff during baking and shallow wells will swallow up the cherry
- Warm the frosting just until pourable, hot frosting runs off the cookies, cool frosting won’t spread
- Bake just until the cookie sets, about 10 minutes, longer baking dries the chocolate cap
- Cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring, warm cookies break around the cherry pocket
Variations
- Use rum-soaked dried cherries in place of maraschino for a more grown-up flavor
- Add a teaspoon of almond extract to the dough alongside vanilla for a cherry-almond profile
- Top with chopped pistachios or sliced almonds before the frosting sets for extra texture
Ingredients
Directions
In a mixing bowl, combine flour and cocoa; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or until softened. Add sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat until well combined. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.
Shape dough into 1inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Press down center of each ball with thumb. Drain marachino cherries, reserving juice. Place a cherry in the center of each cookie.
In a small saucepan combine the chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry (frosting may be thinned with additonal cherry juice if necessary).
Bake in 350℉ (180℃) oven about 10 minutes or until done. Remove to wire rack to cool.
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