Doug's Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

 My husband and I have a friendly cookie throw down competition going on.  We started two years ago, and this cookie was the winner the first year.  Now it is on our Christmas baking list each year.  It is probably the best tasting cookie I have ever eaten, so I wasn't surprised when he won.  It's just that I really wanted to win.  Did I say the competition was "friendly"?  He just told me to add he won the second year also.  

First Place Winner

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 48 maraschino cherries, blotted dry

Frosting:

• 1 cup (6 ozs.) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 to 3 tsps. maraschino cherry juice

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla.  combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture.  Shape into balls, about 1 in. round, and place on ungreased baking sheet.  Push one cherry halfway into each ball.

For frosting, melt chocolate chips in milk in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly.  remove from heat; add cherry juice and stir until smooth.  Spoon i tsp. of frosting over each cherry.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.

Recipe from Taste of Home 2013.
Printable version:Chocolate-Cherry Covered Cookie

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.

Use good ingredients.  Doug used Ghirardelli cocoa.

Measure the dry ingredients.

Drain the maraschino cherries and pat dry.

Whisk the dry ingredients together.

Beat in egg.

Add the vanilla.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.

The mixture will be very firm and somewhat crumbly.

For frosting, melt the chocolate chips in milk in a saucepan over low heat.

Shape the dough into 48 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.

Place on ungreased baking sheet and make a thumb print in each ball.

Push one cherry halfway into each ball.

Remove melted chocolate from the heat.

Add cherry juice and stir until smooth.

Spoon 1 tsp. of frosting over each cherry.

The frosting will spread over the cookie during baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Cool on wire racks.

Enjoy!
The best cookie I have eaten!

Christmas 2013...

Grandsons, ages 4,2, and 12.

Grandsons and Great Grandma at 84 years young.
Have a blessed Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior.