Buried Cherry Cookies

Instructions

1. Drain the cherries, reserving the juice. Lay the cherries out onto paper towels to let them dry off a little bit.
2. In a medium mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer (or with stand mixer) until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another minutes, scraping the sides.
3. Add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in egg and vanilla. Beat in the cocoa powder, and then the flour until it is just combined. If you are using an electric mixer you might need to do this by hand.
4. Chill the dough in the fridge for about an hour.
5. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on a silpat or parchement paper-lined cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each ball. Place a dried-off cherry in each center.
6. For frosting, in a small saucepan combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir over medium low heat until chocolate melts. Stir in 4-5 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice. (Or as much as you want until it is the consistency you like).
7. Spoon 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover. Use 2 spoons: one teaspoon for scooping chocolate, and the other for scraping it off the first spoon onto the cookie. The frosting will be harder to work with the cooler it gets. I like to leave the saucepan on the heat on low so that the frosting stays workable.
8. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.