Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Chocolate Christmas Cookies
Dorcas Annette Walker

In case you haven’t noticed I’ve been a bit wild over chocolate recipes this year for the holidays. In my way of thinking how else can you properly celebrate unless chocolate is involved? For those of you though, who aren’t crazy over chocolate I’m going to give you a vanilla version or what I call my Snowball Cookies that are also rolled in powdered sugar. That’s the neat thing about cooking. You can always find or change a recipe to suit your own taste buds. I feel sorry for the folk that don’t cook. They are limited in so many ways when it comes to personalizing food. When you are the chef the sky or rather the saucepan is the limit. So this Christmas don’t be afraid to try a new recipe along with the tried and true ones.

These Chocolate Christmas Cookies are very simple to make and will go fast with their soft brownie-like texture dusted with a cracked powdered sugar crust turning a plain chocolate cookie into something fancy. The Chocolate Christmas Cookies are great dipped in a glass of milk (my son’s favorite way of eating cookies and cake) or by themselves. You can add chopped nuts if you prefer or mix in some chocolate chips for a double chocolate burst of flavor. Preparation time for my Chocolate Christmas Cookies is around twenty minutes and this recipe makes two dozen cookies.

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

2 c self-rising flour
1 c sugar
½ c cocoa powder
½ c shortening
2 eggs
¼ c milk
1 tsp vanilla & almond extract
1 c powdered sugar

In a medium-sized bowl mix together all the ingredients except for the powdered sugar until well combined. The batter will be stiff. You can add another drop or two of milk if needed. Take a heaping tablespoon of batter and form into a ball. Roll in the powdered sugar until well coated. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350º for ten minutes. Let cool for five minutes before removing from the cookie sheet. Finish cooking and then store in an airtight container!

Snowball Cookies

1 c sugar
1 c shortening
2 eggs
½ c milk
1 tsp vanilla & almond extract
3 c self-rising flour
1 c chopped pecans
1 c powdered sugar

Cream sugar, shortening, and eggs together. Add milk and extracts. Stir in flour and chopped pecans. Take a tablespoon of dough, form into a ball, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for ten minutes at 350º. While warm roll the cookies in the powdered sugar and let cool. Makes three dozen cookies.

Weekly tip: When rolling out cookie dough or forming it into a ball the dough is often easier to work with if you chill it first. Cover and place the cookie dough in the refrigerator for about an hour until completely chilled then roll out the dough or form it into balls!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a published author, columnist, speaker, freelance magazine writer, and photographer from Jamestown, Tennessee. Contact her at: dorcasannettewalker@gmail.com For more recipes check out her Creative Tennessee Mountain Cookin blog at: www.dorcasannettewalker.webs.com