Chocolate Snowballs

In a small bowl, carefully melt the chocolate in the microwave – I use a lower power setting and stir it every 20 seconds or so.  Set it aside to cool slightly.  In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar for a few minutes until fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined, then scrape in the chocolate and mix.  Alternately add half the flour, then the milk, then the rest of the flour, and mix on a lower speed until the dough comes together.  It will be sticky – a lot like fudge – scrape it out of the bowl onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and use the wrap to shape it into a disc before wrapping it tightly.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours – the dough needs to firm up before you can work with it.

Use about a teaspoon of dough to make each small ball, then roll each ball in icing sugar until it’s completely coated.  I made up a couple of pans and then put the dough back in the refrigerator until I needed it again.

Place the balls onto a cookie sheet covered in parchment about 2 inches apart and bake for about 12 minutes at 350.  They’re done when the sugar coating splits and they’ve flattened somewhat.