Chocolate Covered Surprise Cookies

Total Time: 38 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 8 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup land o lakes butter, softened*
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, reserve juice, halved
• 1 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons reserved cherry juice

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350°f
• 2 combine sugar and butter in large bowl.
• 3 beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
• 4 add egg and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.
• 5 add all remaining cookie ingredients except cherries.
• 6 reduce speed to low; beat until well mixed.
• 7 shape dough into 1-inch balls.
• 8 place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• 9 press cherry half into center of each cookie, making sure cherry halves are dry.
• 10 bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until set.
• 11 cool completely.
• 12 meanwhile, combine all frosting ingredients in 1-quart saucepan.
• 13 cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted and frosting is smooth (4 to 5 minutes).
• 14 frost each cooled cookie with (+/-)1/2 teaspoon frosting.
• 15 make sure cherry is covered.
• 16 *substitute land o lakes® soft baking butter with canola oil right from the refrigerator.