ITALIAN SPICED CHOCOLATE COOKIES

ITALIAN SPICED CHOCOLATE COOKIES image

Yield 40 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 11

3 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1/2 to 2/3 cups whole milk
2/3 cup (3 ounces) chopped walnuts

Steps:

Place the oven rack in the lower third position in the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 2 cookie sheets with vegetable oil cooking spray. In a large bowl combine, flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, pepper, cloves, cinnamon and salt. Add butter and, using your fingers or a pastry dough blender, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Add 1/2 cup of milk and the nuts and mix until the dough is well blended. If mixture seems too dry, add more milk, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. If thinner, less chewy cookie is desired, flatten balls slightly. Bake cookies until firm, about 15 to 17 minutes. Place baked cookies on wire racks to cool. Store in a sealed container.