In a mixing bowl, cream sugar, butter, egg, milk, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and baking powder with an electric mixer.
Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Chill dough for a few hours to make for easier handling.
Form 2 teaspoonfuls of dough into a ball.
Flatten ball and place a cherry in the center; shape dough around cherry.
Repeat with remaining dough and cherries.
Place balls 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned. (Mine took about 16 minutes).
Rotate cooke sheets on oven racks after six minutes of baking time.
Cool 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
Grate 2-oz. white confectionery coating; set aside.
Grate 2-oz. chocolate confectionery coating; set aside.
Melt remaining white coating with 6 tbsp. of butter in medium saucepan over low heat.
In a separate saucepan, melt dark coating with remaining butter over low heat
(Use more butter if you need to make the bark thin enough to coat the cookie well.)
Dip half the cookies into white coating; place on waxed paper.
Sprinkle with grated chocolate bark or pecans.
Dip remaining cookies in dark coating; place on waxed paper.
Sprinkle with grated white coating.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.