Chocolate Cherry Cookies

1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 TBS vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 (6-oz) jars maraschino cherries, drained and halved
1 (6-oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350*F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until fluffy; add eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Combine dry ingredients; stir into butter mixture. Dough will be stiff! Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Press cherry half into center of each cookie. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.

In heavy saucepan, over medium heat, melt chips with condensed milk; cook until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Frost each cookie, covering cherry. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Makes 10 dozen cookies