About this recipe
Whether you’re participating in a cookie swap or baking cookies for Santa, these chocolate-covered cherry cookies are sure to be a crowd favorite.
Dietitian Kim Galeaz shares her recipe for chocolate thumbprint cookies stuffed with a maraschino cherry and topped with a glaze of condensed milk, chocolate chips and cherry juice.
“if you love chocolate covered cherries at this time of year, this cookie is for you,” she said.
Copycat recipe: The Tom Cruise Coconut Cake
Galeaz’s top cooking-baking tip is to cover your cookie sheets with the parchment paper to make cleanup a breeze and prevent your cookies from burning.
This is the first in a series of holiday cookie recipes.
Ingredients
Yields: 36 cookies
Chocolate-cherry thumbprint cookies
Chocolate-cherry frosting
Directions
Chocolate-cherry thumbprint cookies
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Heat oven to 350°F. Line all cookie sheets with parchment paper.
TIP:
Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper to prevent burning and ease cleanup. -
Whisk flour and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl and set aside.
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Drain cherries and reserve juice. Pat cherries dry with paper towels.
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In a large bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt; beat until blended.
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Add egg and vanilla extract; mix until blended.
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Slowly incorporate flour-cocoa mixture on low speed. Mix only until blended; avoid overmixing.
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Using a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls. Place on lined sheets about 2 inches apart.
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Press a hole in center of each cookie with thumb or spoon. Place a cherry in the center.
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Bake cookies until edges set, about 8 minutes for fudgy or 9 minutes for crispier cookies.
TIP:
Cookies harden as they cool, so avoid overbaking.
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Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks.
Chocolate-cherry frosting
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Combine chocolate chips and condensed milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until chocolate melts and mixture blends.
TIP:
Do not overheat or frosting will scorch.
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Stir in reserved cherry juice.
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Spoon or pipe 1 teaspoon frosting over each cherry, spreading lightly to cover.
TIP:
Rewarm frosting on very low heat if needed for spreading consistency.
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Recipe by culinary registered dietitian nutritionist Kim Galeaz, RDN, LD with inspiration from betterhomesandgardens.com.
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