It’s Christmas cookie season! The most beautiful time of the year.
Last year I added my mom’s Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies to my repertoire. They were a fabulous addition! I think you all should know how to make them, too!
These are chocolate thumbprint cookies, topped with a maraschino cherry, and spread with a fudgy frosting that’s baked into the cookie. All the goodness of a chocolate covered cherry with the playfulness of a cookie.
These cookies keep very well in the freezer. No need to rush to eat the whole batch at once – which, actually, doesn’t sound so bad, except for the post-binge stomachache. If you freeze them, you can eat a couple every day without any concern that they’ll get stale.
Here’s how you make them!
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookie Digest
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Drain two small jars of maraschino cherries, reserving the juice.
- In a mixing bowl, beat 1 stick of butter, softened. Add 1 cup sugar. Add 1 egg and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Add 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and 1/4 tsp. each of baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Shape the dough into balls. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie dough ball to create an impression. Place a cherry in the center of each one.
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk. (You will have some sweetened condensed milk left over. Let your kids eat a couple spoonfuls for fun. It’s as good as licking the frosting spoon!) Heat, stirring constantly, over low heat until the chocolate melts. When it is smooth, stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.
- Spoon the chocolate mixture over each cherry, spread to cover as necessary.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes until the edges are cracking. Cool. Freeze if desired.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 20 oz. jars maraschino cherries
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1½ tsp vanilla
- 1½ cup flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Drain the cherries, reserving the juice.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Roll the dough into 1 inch balls (like large marbles). Place on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet. Press your thumb into the dough to create an impression. Place a cherry in the center of each cookie. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir constantly over low heat until the chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice. Spoon this mixture over the cherries; spread to cover.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, until the edges are cracking. Cool.
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