COOKIE: Sift together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, baking soda. In mixing bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy, add eggs and vanilla to butter-sugar mixture and beat well. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter-sugar mixture and beat until well blended. Shape into 1 inch balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet and push down center of each ball with thumb, drain cherries and reserve juice. Place a cherry in the center of each indentation. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

FROSTING: Put chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a double boiler. Heat until mixed and chocolate melts stirring frequently, add cherry juice. Don't let chocolate get too hot, just keep warm enough to be able to work with on the cookie. If needed use more cherry juice. Spoon 1 teaspoon of frosting over each cherry and spread over the top to cover the cherry.

Bake 10 minutes at 350 or until done, Do not over bake. Cookies are very soft when they first come out of the oven but will firm up. These cookies freeze and ship well! Happy baking! Enjoy!

This is a family recipe that my mother-in-law gave me years ago. I was so excited when I found it on Big Oven as the 1986 winner in a cookie contest. However my mother in law had this recipe long before 1986. I submitted a photo to the 1986 recipe that won. Then I decided I wanted to list my own recipe for my family and friends to give me credit as they are the ones who get to enjoy them every year from me! :) I dedicate this version to my family and friends! :) I also doubled the recipe to use the whole can of sweetened condensed milk, plenty of cookies for everyone to enjoy!