Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
48 maraschino cherries, blotted dry

Frosting:
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 to 3 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice
In mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy;
beat in egg and vanilla.
Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed
mixture (batter will be very firm). Shape into 48 balls,
about 1 in. round, and place on ungreased cookie sheets.
Push one cherry halfway into each ball. For frosting, melt
chocolate chips in milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring
constantly. Remove from the heat; add cherry juice and stir
until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon of frosting over each cherry (the
frosting will spread over cookie during baking). Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
Cool on wire racks.
Yield: 4 dozen.
Mom