I realized I haven’t added as many new cookies to my rotation this year, so I went to the Google machine to look up some more creative Christmas cookies.

I found a list of like 25 Christmas Cookies You HAVE to Make Right Now or You Will Die a Painful Slow Death at the Hands of a Marketing Assistant Whose Job Depends on You Clicking The Link.

I’m in marketing. While that may not have actually been the list’s name, it’s the subtle subtext around it.

So I clicked. (Side note: it’s a shallow life goal to be included on one of these lists someday.)

And that’s where I found today’s beauty. Well, I found it on that list, but then went to the real site.

Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies

• 1/2 c. butter softened
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
• 2/3 c. cocoa
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. baking powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 2 t. cherry juice (from maraschino cherry jar)
• 30–36 jarred maraschino cherries
• 1/4 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
• 2 T. sweetened condensed milk
• 1 T. cherry juice (from maraschino cherry jar)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and both sugars with mixer. Add eggs one at a time and mix in.
3. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup dry mixture to butter mixture at a time. Blending after each addition just until combined and scraping side of mixer bowl as needed. Add vanilla and 2 teaspoons cherry juice and mix just until combined. Remove bowl from mixer and refrigerate for 30 minutes
4. Butter hands and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Using thumb press small indentation in center of cookie and place maraschino cherry in hole.
5. Bake for 10 minutes.
6. Melt chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk on low. When melted add 1 tablespoon cherry juice. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

I was intrigued by the ingredient list. I like cherries. I like chocolate. I like sweetened condensed milk, and I wanted to see what a recipe was like that called for salt, baking powder, and baking soda all at once, that wasn’t me at 8 years-old “making” my own recipe.

In the interest of time, I’ll tell you. It turned out pretty darn well.

Now, as for that Marketing Assistant whose job I saved (and ultimately did not have to kill me), how about a little gratitude and include me on a cookie list?