Buried Cherry Cookies

Recipe View Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). (5 minutes)

Recipe View Carefully drain the maraschino cherries, reserving 2 tablespoons of the juice for later use. If the cherries are large, halve them. Set aside. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and almond extract until well combined. Gradually add the flour, mixing until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Pinch off pieces of dough and roll them into 1-inch balls. Place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet. Use your thumb to gently press a well in the center of each cookie. Place a cherry or cherry half into the indentation of each cookie. (15 minutes)

Recipe View In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate with the sweetened condensed milk, stirring constantly until smooth. If the ganache is too thick, add the reserved cherry juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a desirable consistency. Remember, the ganache should be thick enough to coat the cherries without running off the cookies. (8 minutes)

Recipe View Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the chocolate ganache over each cherry, ensuring the cherry is completely covered. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are firm and lightly golden. (12 minutes)

Recipe View Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. (60 minutes)