Topic: Buried Cherry Cookies

[patches]

Buried Cherry Cookies

Ingredients:

1 (10 ounce) jar Maraschino Cherries (42-48)
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 (6 ounce) package (1 cup) semisweet chocolate pieces (use real chocolate)
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Directions:
 
Drain cherries, reserving juice. Halve any large cherries. In a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer in medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in cocoa powder and as much of the flour as you can with mixer. Stir in remaining flour using a wooden spoon.

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 is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice. Spoon 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover (frosting may be thinned with additional cherry juice if necessary). Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Note: Do not substitute imitation chocolate pieces.

Makes 42-48 cookies

[landofoz]

They make imitation chocolate?  How wrong is that?? 

Since Rachael doesn't have school today, I was trying to think of something we could bake together.  These sound like something they'd love.  And Adam would be thrilled to find something made with (nasty) cherries, as the last time I baked something with cherries was his birthday in April. 

How does the frosting set up?  I think these would look very pretty with the frosting drizzled over the top.

[Tonya]

These sound good!! Doug and Summer love cherries- I am not a huge fan, but I love sweets, so I guess I could muddle through!!!

[patches]

They make imitation chocolate?  How wrong is that?? 

Actually, I don't know, because I've never tried it with the imitation chocolate. When I'm making something from a recipe I sometimes will go the cheaper route if the option is there (e.g. if it says butter or margarine, I may use margarine), but when the  alternate choice is not offered I will use butter like it says.  In this case, the included note about not substituting imitation chocolate was already there, so I didn't even try using the imitation chocolate. Guess I figured someone already tired it and it didn't work.    The frosting set up nicely for me.  I guess you could drizzle the chocolate over the top, but I'm wondering if it might take some of moisture out of the cherries if they were more exposed to the heat.   

 

[landofoz]

Hypothetically, I will be making these tomorrow.  I won't be drizzling anything, you're quite right, it would probably dry out the cherry.  I will have to make a couple cherry-free for me.  I am so excited to try these.  If they turn out really good, I may just put them on my christmas goodie-basket list. 

[patches]

Well, Sarah/loz, I know your cherry lovers will really enjoy these, and I'm sure you will too even without the cherries!    I always thought these made a wonderful addition to my Christmas gift platters.   

[duh]

Great Recipe thankyou for sharing it.  I wonder if there is anyway to make it without the chocolate.  I know that probably sounds like a silly thing to say but I'm trying to stay away from caffine even the little bit that would be found in these cookies.

[landofoz]

Imitation chocolate doesn't melt very well at all, which is probably why the recipe says don't use it. 

Well, these are baking right now and looked so pretty before I put the frosting on.  My frosting turned out very runny, is that normal?  I'm sure it will thicken as it bakes.  How deep a hole do you make for the cherries?  My cherries still poked over the top of the dough, which I thought was fine.  Am I right?  I wish the timer would buzz so I could see them cooked!!

Do you use all the frosting on the cookies?  'Cause I already know I'm going to have a lot leftover but I don't know how much dough Lindsay ate while I was running from the computer (and the recipe) to the kitchen.

[patches]

Well, Duh, maybe if you buried the cherry a little deeper so it was covered with dough, it wouldn't dry out.    

[landofoz]

Even with an icky cherry, these are really good.  I had a HUGE problem getting them out of the pan but maybe they were undercooked a tad or too much of the frosting.  In any event they are like super-lucsious chocolately brownies with creamy yummy chocolate topping (and an icky cherry that you can't taste a whole lot).  They were great - maybe too messy for the baskets that I've got in mind - but will probably take them to the family gatherings this year.  Thanks for the recipe, patches.

[duh]

hum could they be individually wrapped in wax paper with a little bow tying them up?

[patches]

you're welcome Sarah/loz!   I'm glad you liked them.  

Even with an icky cherry, these are really good.  

Hmmm, maybe you could make a few of them for yourself with the cherries cut in half.    

They were great - maybe too messy for the baskets that I've got in mind

Well, I've never tried putting them in a basket, but I've included them on Christmas platters I made.  

[landofoz]

hum could they be individually wrapped in wax paper with a little bow tying them up?

That would be adorable, Duh!  I should probably mention that I am notoriously lazy, though.  But they'd look so cute wrapped individually...

[patches]

I had a HUGE problem getting them out of the pan but maybe they were undercooked a tad or too much of the frosting. 

Hmmm, I've never had a problem, but maybe that's because I always put a silicon cookie sheet on my regular metal cookie sheet.   

[landofoz]

I usually line my sheets with either parchment paper or foil but was out this time.  Very frustrating.  I probably would have had better results using one of those.  Now I have to scrub my cookie sheet!

[patches]

Actually, Sarah/loz, I started using the silicon baking sheets so I didn't have to wait for the metal cookie sheet to cool completely before putting another batch of cookies on it.    Of course, the easy to clean part is just an added bonus!   

[landofoz]

I have a silicone mini-bread pan and hate the thing.  It cooks terrible and is a massive pain to clean.  So I hadn't bought the silicone sheets (which is what I really wanted to begin with) because of what a pain what I have is. Since you seem to have such good results with them, though, I may have to try them.

[patches]

Well, Sarah/loz, I'll join your club because I bought a silicone baking pan, and I didn't like it either!    I feel much differently about the baking mats, they are so easy to clean, and I love using them.   

[Tina]

I need to try those baking mats. It might help solve a little of my uneven oven problems.

[patches]

Geesh, Tina, I don't know if it will solve the uneven oven problem, because it's not much different than using parchment paper, except it's thicker!   

[Triss]

I need to try those mats.  Do you spray them at all or just put the dough right on top?

[patches]

Actually, I don't do anything to them,  Triss, I just wash and use!  Nothing could be easier!