Italian Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup hot milk

Recipe

• preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c).
• sift 3 cups flour twice. in a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, white sugar and cocoa. cream 1 cup butter or margarine; blend into flour mixture. add 1/3 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla and nuts. mix thoroughly with hands until well blended. (dough should be the consistency of pie crust, but not sticky.)
• for each cookie, pinch off about 1 teaspoon dough. roll by hands into balls, each about one-inch in diameter. place on greased baking sheets. do not flatten. bake about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. remove from baking sheets; cool on racks. when cool, drizzle each generously with chocolate frosting. sprinkle with candy sprinkles if desired.
• to make chocolate frosting: melt the chocolate squares over low heat. cream with 1 tablespoon of butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 cups of confectioner's sugar. gradually add hot milk, beating until smooth.