Buried Cherry Cookies

1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 (1 ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped

¼ cup sweetened condensed milk

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Drain the cherries and reserve about 2 tablespoons of the juice. Cut the cherries in half if large, and set aside.

Beat the softened butter, sugar, and baking powder with an electric mixer until thoroughly creamed and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the egg and almond extract, then add the flour gradually, and beat just until blended. Pinch off pieces of dough, roll into 1-inch balls, place the balls on an ungreased baking sheet, and press your thumb in the center of each cookie to make a dent. Place a cherry or cherry half in the indentation of each cookie.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate with the condensed milk, and stir until smooth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of reserved cherry juice to the mixture, or as needed, to thin the frosting; frosting will be thick. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of frosting over each cherry, covering the cherry completely.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven until firm and slightly browned, about 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for about 1 minute before removing, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.