Cherry Chocolate Chip Fudgy Wudgies

Ingredients
2 cups (1 12-ounce package) semisweet chocolate morsels, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, preferably unsalted
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup dried sweetened cherries or dried sweetened cranberries, chopped if very large
3 tablespoons cherry jam or cherry preserves
1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups all-purpose white flour
1/4 cup unsweetened American-style or Dutch process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Red colored crystal sugar or small bits of candied cherries or maraschino cherries for decoration

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment or aluminum foil. (Don�t omit or cookies may stick to pans.)
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt half the chocolate morsels and butter in a microwave oven on 100 power for 1 minute. Stir mixture well. If necessary, microwave at 50 percent power, for 20 to 30 seconds longer; stop and stir before the chocolate completely melts, allowing the residual heat finish the job. (Alternatively, in a large heavy saucepan warm the chocolate and butter over lowest heat, stirring frequently, until almost melted; watch very carefully and don�t overheat or the chocolate will burn. Immediately set aside; stir occasionally until smooth.)
Thoroughly stir the condensed milk, cherries (or cranberries), cherry jam, and almond extract into the melted chocolate mixture until well blended. Add the egg, stirring well. Thoroughly stir together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until well blended. Stir in the remaining chocolate morsels; dough will be soft. Let the dough stand 5 minutes to firm up just slightly. Drop the dough by heaping measuring tablespoonfuls, spacing about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Sprinkle the cookie tops lightly with colored sugar, or press a small bit of cherry into the center top of each cookie. (If using maraschino cherries, pat them dry on paper towels first.)
Bake, one pan at a time, on the center oven rack for 6 to 10 minutes, or until barely firm when pressed in the center top; be careful not to over-bake. (The cookies will still look shiny and fudgy.) Set aside on a rack and allow the cookies to cool and firm up about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks; they are too tender to move when hot. Let stand until completely cooled.
These cookies will keep, covered and in a cool place, for 3 or 4 days. They may also be frozen, tightly covered, for up to a month.
Makes about 40 to 45 2 1/2 inch cookies.