ITALIAN CHOCOLATE BALL COOKIES (TAYTU'S)

Italian Chocolate Ball Cookies (TayTu's) image

Provided by Barbara Nazworth

Categories Cookies

Time 1h15m

Number Of Ingredients 16

5 c all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 Heaping tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 1/4 c crisco baking sticks, butter flavored
4 large eggs
16 oz hershey's chocolate syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 c chopped walnuts and/or pecans
INGREDIENTS FOR FROSTING
2 c confectioner's sugar
3 Tbsp milk (add more if needed)
1/2 tsp anisette extract or almond extract

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. FOR THE COOKIES: In large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, cream sugar and shortening with a mixer until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Mix in chocolate syrup and vanilla.
4. Add chocolate mixture to dry ingredients. Stir until well incorporated. Mix in nuts.
5. Dough should form a ball, but not be sticky (if dough is too sticky, put a little flour on your hand to roll into a ball).
6. Roll mixture into 1 inch balls. Place balls 1 inch apart on parchment paper and bake about 12-15 minutes or until cookie is firm, but NOT DRY. Let cookies cool before frosting.
7. FOR THE FROSTING: Mix sugar, milk and extract to make a sugar glaze in a bowl. Dip the top of the cookies in the bowl and sit the cookies on a baking rack with wax paper underneath to catch any drippings. If you don't have one, then I'd just use wax paper. Immediately top the cookies with sprinkles before glaze dries.
8. Allow icing to harden overnight.