Ingredients

• 1  10-ounce jar maraschino cherries
• 1/2  cup butter, softened
• 1  cup sugar
• 1/4  teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon almond extract
• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 6  ounces bittersweet chocolate, *chopped
• 1/2  cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drain cherries, reserving juice. Halve enough large cherries to make 42 to 46 pieces. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each ball. Place a cherry in each center.

For frosting, in a small saucepan combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Stir in 4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice. Spoon 1 slightly rounded teaspoon of the frosting over each cherry piece, spreading to cover cherry.** (Frosting will be baked on the cookies, so it should be think. If it is too thick, thin it with additional cherry juice.)

Bake in preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are firm and just start to brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool. Makes: 42 to 46 cookies

5. *Test Kitchen Tip: Do not substitute imitation chocolate or candy coating for the bittersweet chocolate.

6. **Test Kitchen Tip: If desired, pipe the frosting onto cookies. Fill a resealable plastic bag with the frosting and snip a small hole in one corner of the bag. Squeeze the bag, piping the frosting in a circular motion over each cherry piece to cover.

7. To Store: Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store a room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.