Black Forest Thumbprint Cookies

A different take on Thumbprint cookies. This is a recipe from my childhood, and is a wonderful adornment to any Christmas tray.

• Ready In: 28 mins
• Serves: 48
• Yields: 48 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄2 cup  cocoa
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  egg
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla
• 48  maraschino cherries (reserve some cherry juice)
• 3⁄4 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand or other)

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients until combined. Shape into 48 - 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and make thumbprint in center of each cookie. Place a maraschino cherry into each indentation.
2. Melt chocolate chips and condensed milk just until soft. Stir in 4 tsp cherry juice and spoon about 1 tsp of frosting on top to cover cherry. Add more cherry juice if frosting needs to be thinned. Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes.