Chocolate covered cherry cookies are chewy and fudgy with maraschino cherries in the center and a creamy ganache frosting baked right on top. Each bite is a chocolate lover's dream!
¾cupdark cocoa powderyou can use regular cocoa if you like
¼teaspoonkosher salt
¼teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonbaking soda
36Maraschino cherries without stemsdrained, and patted dry (reserve juice)
1cupConfectioner's (powdered) sugarfor rolling cookie dough in
Ganache
1cupbittersweet chocolate chips
½cupEagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 ½tablespoonsAmaretto or cherry juice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F
In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Combine the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.
Form the dough into 36 balls using about a heaping teaspoon of dough for each.
Roll the dough in confectioner's sugar.
Push a cherry into each one.
Cover with the ganache.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes.
Cool completely.
Ganache
Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a small saucepan.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Heat until the chocolate is melted.
Blend well.
Add the Amaretto or cherry juice.
Spoon on top of each cherry, covering it completely, before baking.
Video
Notes
Expert Tip: Be sure the cherries are drained well and you've dried them with paper towels. The frosting won't stick otherwise.
Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature - it's important to the way the cookies come out.
If the dough seems too soft to roll into balls chill it for about 30 minutes.
You can use any kind of cocoa you want. I really like the extra dark cocoa because it gives the cookies a deeper flavor.
You can use any kind of chocolate chips - milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark, etc.
Don't use an off brand sweetened condensed milk. Some of them make the ganache come out grainy - I prefer Eagle Brand.
These freeze well for up to 3 months.
StorageStore at room temperature up to 4 days or freeze for longer storage. The sugar in the Maraschino cherries helps them to stay fresh without refrigeration - but this is not a good cookie to ship.