Chocolate-nut Yule Log Cookies

Total Time: 57 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons shortening (or butter)
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 3 cups finely chopped nuts (optional)
• various candy sprinkles (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350.
• 2 in a large mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until light & fluffy.
• 3 add salt & mix well, then cup-by-cup add the flour.
• 4 last, add the chopped chips and mix well.
• 5 shape dough into little "logs" (about 1 1/2" long).
• 6 arrange "logs" on ungreased cookie sheets fairly close together (don't spread much) -- about 14 to a 10x15 sheet.
• 7 bake for 12-15 minutes (golden brown); transfer to a cooling rack.
• 8 melt the shortening & chocolate chips, stirring to mix smoothly.
• 9 dip one end of each cookie into the chocolate, scraping off the bottom against the edge of the bowl; dip cookie into chopped nuts, then return it to the cooling rack (place waxed paper underneath to catch the chocolate drips).
• 10 or sprinkle with seasonal or holiday sprinkles and skip the nuts altogether.
• 11 let cookies sit on racks until firm.
• 12 store in covered tins with waxed paper between the layers.