Italian Chocolate Cookies

These Italian Chocolate Cookies are a traditional Sicilian holiday cookie. Cocoa powder and butter are blended with whole milk, vanilla and chopped nuts.

They are shaped into small balls for baking, and drizzled with melted chocolate.

The baked cookies freeze well, and need only be brought to room temperature and frosted before serving.

What makes these cookies a little unusual is their texture. The flour is sifted twice and the dough is mixed with your hands.

It sounds messy, but that's what makes these cookies worth the effort.

You'll know at first bite that you have something special, and these chocolate treasures will be on everyone's request list every year.

Even if they're not Sicilian!

Italian Chocolate Cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup hot milk

Preheat the oven to 375F. Coat a cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.

Sift the flour together with the cocoa powder, granulated sugar and baking powder - do this 2 times.

Cream the cup of butter and blend it into the sifted flour. Add the 1/3 cup milk, the vanilla extract and the chopped walnuts. Knead the dough with your hands for a minute or two, until the dough has the consistency of pie dough.

Make 1 inch balls from the dough and place on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the hot oven until they are lightly browned.

In a small saucepan, melt the unsweetened chocolate over low heat. Whisk in the tablespoon of softened butter and vanilla, the beat in the 2 cups of confectioners' sugar. Gradually pour in the hot milk and beat the mixture until it is smooth.

Transfer the baked cookies to wire racks set over waxed paper or paper towels. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies, covering as much of them as you can.

Let the chocolate harden in the refrigerator before storing.

Food For Thought - You can dress these up a little for the holidays by sprinkling multi-colored candy sprinkles while the chocolate is still warm.

For a special occasion or party, use an equal amount of hazelnut liqueur or orange curacao in place of the vanilla extract, and finish them with a dusting of finely chopped hazelnuts over the melted chocolate.