In a large bowl combine dry ingredients - flour, white and brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla powder.
1½ cup flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp vanilla powder, 1/4 tsp salt
In another bowl whisk butter with hand mixer until pale. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add eggs to butter and continue mixing until combined. Scrape the sides with a spatula.
1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs
Add few tablespoons of dry ingredients and mix on a low speed.
Add about half of the dry mixture in a bowl and mix with a spatula.
Add milk and mix with a spatula.
1/2 cup milk
Add the rest of dry ingredients and continue mixing until well incorporated.
1 tbsp cherry syrup*
Mix in maraschino cherry syrup, using the same spatula.
Add melted chocolate and mix with the spatula until all is well incorporated.
1/4 cup dark chocolate
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour or at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 356 F / 180 C.
Scoop a ball of chocolate cookie dough on the baking tray, layered with parchment paper. You can form the ball with your hands. If you don't want to be messy, you can dust your hands with cocoa powder or scoop directly to the baking tray. Leave the space between cookies.
Using your thumb, make a well in the center of each cookie.
Put maraschino cherry in the well of each cookie. Bake for 10 minutes, then prepare another batch until all cookie dough is used.
1 cup maraschino cherries
Let the cookies cool on a wire rack, then sprinkle crushed almonds on top.
3-4 tbsp crushed almond flakes
Video
Notes
*Combine maraschino cherry liquid with the same amount of powdered sugar until syrup consistency.Chocolate cherry cookies will keep up to 5-6 days in the fridge.