1. Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

2. Prepare the Dry Ingredients:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream the Butter and Sugar:

• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes using an electric mixer.

4. Add Wet Ingredients:

• Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined.

• Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined.

5. Fold in Chocolate Chips:

• Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

6. Shape the Cookies:

• Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll them into balls. Place the dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

7. Top with Cherry:

• Press one maraschino cherry gently into the center of each dough ball.

8. Bake the Cookies:

• Bake in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set. The centers should still look soft, but they will firm up as the cookies cool.

9. Cool and Drizzle:

• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

• (Optional) Melt the white chocolate chips and drizzle over the cooled cookies for an extra touch of sweetness and decoration.

10. Serve and Enjoy:

• Serve these sweet, chocolaty, and cherry-filled treats with a glass of milk or your favorite hot beverage. Enjoy!