Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
10 ounces maraschino cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees .
Beat butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add dry ingredients and stir until smooth.

Roll into 1-inch balls about the size of a walnut (larger if desired). Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Drain cherries and reserve juice. Press center of each ball with thumb. Place a cherry in indentation.

In a saucepan, heat condensed milk and chocolate chips until chips are melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of mixture over each cherry and spread to cover cherry. (More cherry juice may be added to keep frosting of spreading consistency.)
Bake for 10 minutes.