I was so sure that for the first time ever, I would bake and decorate a cutout cookie that could  be easily identified.  Sadly, I don’t think that is the case.  (as long as it  it tastes good, who cares what it looks like, right) 🙂  Anyway, I present my recipe for chocolate cutout cookies.  The traditional sugar cutout cookie  is always tremendous, but I like that have some other recipe options  too.  And this chocolate version is one of them.

Btw, the one on the left is a shamrock, the one  on the right is a basketball.  :0 (today is St. Patrick’s day and the first Friday of the NCAA tournament)

Ingredients – 1 cup of butter (softened at room temp for a few hours), 1 3/4 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup baking cocoa, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder.

Directions – preheat oven to 350.  cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Fold in dry ingredients.   Flour a countertop or table with flour.  Roll a mount of dough out 1/2 inch thick.  Cut out your cookies.  Place on a cookie sheet, lined with a nonstick baking liner.bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  (Cookies will be slightly soft)  let cool.  Frost with your favorite frosting.

Frosting – 1/2 cup butter (melted), 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, milk or cream

Combine butter and powdered sugar.  Add vanilla.  Add milk or cream, 1 tbs at a time, until you get the desired consistency.