1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and the 1/2 pack cream cheese with an electric mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much of the dry ingredients as you can with
mixer. Stir in remaining dry ingredients by hand with a wooden spoon. Form chocolate dough into 32 balls about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside.
3. For almond filling, beat together powdered sugar and
the remaining cream cheese until smooth. Shape mixture into 32 (3/4-inch) balls.
4. On a work surface, slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and top with a cheese ball. Shape the chocolate dough over the filling, completely covering the filling. Roll dough into a ball. Repeat with the remaining chocolate dough and almond cream filling balls.
5. Place cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the granulated sugar.
6. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until they're just set and surface is slightly cracked (do not overbake). Let cookies stand for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.

Makes 32 cookies.

Notes:
These cookies work with lots of different fillings - Peanut butter & cream cheese, peppermint extract & cream cheese rolled in crushed peppermint candy, orange extract and cream cheese (substitute orange juice for the milk & cut the granulated sugar to 1/4 cup).

The recipe also works with whole wheat pastry flour, and even with 1/4 c. white & 1/4 c. brown sugar for a slightly healthier version.

Cookies can be stored 3 days at room temperature (place on layers of wax paper) or frozen for up to 3 months.