Hot Cocoa Cookies

These Christmas cookies are fairly adorable, especially when warm from the oven, which may lead to the temptation to eat all of them before you pack them up in boxes with tissue and ribbon to bring to holiday parties, ecumenical chorus concerts, and church basement Kwanza potlucks. As always I advocate restraint, if only to save room for cup after cup of hot spiced wine, baked brie, and hand held lamb chops crusted in mustard. Save room, friends, for you never know when cheese and glogg may come.

Hot Cocoa Cookies
Adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 12 oz semisweet chocolate bars, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Mini marshmallows
• 2 candy canes, chopped into shards

Method:

In a medium sized saucepan over medium low heat melt chocolate and butter, stirring frequently. Allow to cool.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer combine brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in melted chocolate. Then slowly add dry ingredients.

Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 325. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.

Use a tablespoon to scoop the cookie dough. Roll into one-inch balls. Place on cookie sheets and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven, press three mini marshmallows into each cookie and sprinkle candy cane shavings on top. Bake another 4 minutes. Allow cookies to cool in the sheet.