Chocolate Surprise Cookies

Like chocolate covered cherries? Then you'll like these! Hidden inside each is a sweet cherry! Easy to make and make an attractive presentation!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 40 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 cups butter, cut into chunks,at room temp
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  cups flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  chocolate flavoring
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 2  cups  slivered almonds
• 1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 cup  drained maraschino cherry

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
3. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar for about two minutes.
4. Add extracts, flour, salt, cocoa, and almonds.
5. Mix well.
6. Dough will be stiff.
7. To shape cookies, take a golf ball piece of dough and place a cherry in the center.
8. Shape the dough so that the cherry is completely surrounded and the dough is round in shape.
9. Place on cookie sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
10. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until firm to touch.
11. While still hot, roll in powdered sugar.
12. Place on wire racks to cool.