Joanne Fluke Recipes Cookie Jar Food

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY DELIGHTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F, rack in middle position.
• Melt butter and mix in sugar.
• Let mixture cool.
• Add eggs, mix thoroughly.
• Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, vanilla and cocoa, stirring after each addition.
• Add flour and mix well (dough will be stiff and a bit crumbly).
• Drain cherries, remove stems, reserve juice.
• Pat dough into walnut-sized balls.
• Place on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet.
• Press down in center with thumb to make a deep indentation.
• Place one cherry in each indentation.
• In a saucepan, over simmering water (double boiler), combine the chocolate chips and condensed milk.
• Heat on low until the chips are melted.
• Add approximately 1/8 cup of reserved cherry juice and stir to a thick sauce.
• If sauce is too thick, carefully add a little more juice. Test with a teaspoon. If it doesn't glob off, it is too thick.
• Spoon the sauce over the center of each cookie, just enough to cover each cherry. Make sure it doesn't drip down the sides.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
• Let cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.
• Remove to rack to finish cooling.