June Blinn’s Chocolate-covered Cherry Cookies

1 ½ c. flour
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp soda
½ c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 10-oz jar maraschino cherries (about 48)
1 6-oz package semisweet chocolate pieces
½ c. Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

Stir together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and soda. Cream butter or
margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add dry
ingredients to creamed mixture; beat till well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls;
place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of dough with thumb. Drain
maraschino cherries, reserving juice. Place a cherry in the center of each cookie. In small
saucepan, combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk; heat till chocolate
is melted. Stir in 4 tsp of the reserved cherry juice. Spoon about `1 tsp frosting over each
cherry, spreading to cover cherry (thin frosting with juice if necessary). Bake in 350 oven
for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.