Christmas Chocolate Cookies - Nigella Lawson

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

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

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f line a cookie sheet with parchment or silpat.
• 2 cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. sift 1/3 c cocoa powder into the mixture and beat well. sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder, and add to mixture. (optionally, combine everything in a food processor and mix until combined.).
• 3 form 1 tbsp sized balls. place on cookie sheet at least 2" apart, pressing down into fat discs. (the dough will be very sticky; gloves may be a good idea.).
• 4 bake 15 minutes. the tops will develop a cracked appearance. cool 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled. (placing a sheet of newspaper under the rack will help catch drips in the next step.).
• 5 for the topping, combine 2 tbsp cocoa powder with confectioner's sugar, boiling water and vanilla in a small saucepan. heat over low heat and whisk until smooth. cool 10 minutes.
• 6 drizzle 1 tbsp of glaze on each cookie, spreading lightly with the back of the spoon, then sprinkle with sprinkles or sanding sugar. work with 6 cookies at a time so the glaze doesn't dry out before applying the sprinkles.