Volcano Cookies

I think my mom found this in a Fry’s cocoa recipe booklet, so this is probably some sort of copy write infringement. I remember the first time she made them. I think I ate about 50. Good thing I had a high metabolism as a child. This quickly become a Christmas cookie staple in our house and we still all make them today. Below is a batch my borther made in South Korea for his kids and to the right are a few of mine made in Spain. Secret tip: They taste better frozen.

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp almond extract

1/3 buttermilk

1 ½ cup chopped and drained maraschino cherries (reserve juice for glaze)

1 cup chopper nuts (optional)

maraschino cherry halves

Preparation

Stir together the first four ingredients. Cream butter; gradually beat in sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla and almond extract. Add dry ingredient mixture alternating with buttermilk. Stir in cherries and nuts. Drop from a spoon onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven (375 F) 10-12 minutes. Cool. Frost with chocolate glaze and top with a cherry half. Makes 4 dozen.

Chocolate glaze: melt ¾ cup butter in small saucepan. Stir in 1/3 cup cocoa. Blend in ¼ cup cherry juice, ¼ tsp almond extract and 2 cups icing sugar until smooth.