Christmas Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/8 cups soft butter (2 1/4 sticks, 18 tbsp)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• candy sprinkles or sanding sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.
2. In a large bowl, cream together 1 1/8 cups of soft butter and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. Sift 1/3 cup of cocoa powder into the butter and sugar mixture, and beat well until fully combined.
4. In another bowl, sift together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Alternatively, you could toss everything into a food processor and blend until just combined for a quick approach.
5. Form the dough into 1 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the cookie sheet, ensuring they are at least 2 inches apart. Press each ball down to create fat discs, keeping in mind that the dough will be quite sticky—wearing gloves might be a smart move here.
6. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes. You’ll notice the tops will crack slightly when they’re ready.
7. After baking, allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. To catch any drips from the glaze, consider placing a sheet of newspaper under the rack during the cooling period.
8. To prepare the topping, combine 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup of boiling water, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, whisking until smooth, and let cool for 10 minutes.
9. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the glaze over each cookie, spreading it lightly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with candy sprinkles or sanding sugar while the glaze is still wet. Work in batches of 6 cookies at a time to ensure the glaze doesn’t dry out before you can add the sprinkles.