Surprise Cookies

Source: My version of a recipe by Martha Stewart

Serves: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 large marshmallows, cut horizontally (or 12 maraschino cherries, cut horizontally)
• Chocolate frosting
  

Directions: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat until well combined. (I didn't have any vanilla extract, so I used vanilla flavored soy milk... 1/2 cup and 1 teaspoon of soy milk total.)
5. Add reserved flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
6. Using a tablespoon, drop dough onto un-greased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cookies begin to spread and become firm.
8. Take cookie sheets out of oven and put one marshmallow (cut-side down) on the top of each cookie. Return cookie sheets to oven and continue baking until marshmallows begin to melt (about 2 - 2 1/2 minutes). (This got very messy and I only used marshmallows on about 1/4 of the batch. For the other 3/4 I put a cherry on top of the cookie. I preferred this version.)
9. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Frost cookies with your choice of chocolate frosting. Because I didn't have time to make any home-made frosting I used Duncan Hines chocolate frosting. This is the recipe Martha Stewart suggested using. Chocolate Frosting for Surprise Cookies
11. Top with sprinkles, if you want. I used cute piggy sprinkles because I made these for my cousin's birthday party.