Cocoa Mostaccioli Cookies

Cocoa Mostaccioli Cookies

From Good Housekeeping
triple-tested at the Good Housekeeping Research Institute

These cake like chocolate spice cookies are an Italian tradition.

Ingredients:

Cookies:
2 cups	all-purpose flour
1/2 cup	unsweetened cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons	baking powder
1 teaspoon	ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon	ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon	salt
3/4 cup	granulated sugar
1/2 cup	(1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 large	egg
1/2 cup	whole milk

Chocolate Glaze:
3 tablespoons	unsweetened cocoa
1-1/4 cups	confectioners' sugar
	White candy decors for garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare Cookies: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat granulated sugar with butter until blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy. At low speed, beat in egg. Alternately beat in flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, just until combined, occasionally scraping bowl.
2. With cocoa-dusted hands, shape dough by level tablespoons into 1-inch balls. Place balls, 2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake cookies 7 to 9 minutes or until puffed (they will look dry and slightly cracked). Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.
3. Chocolate Glaze: When cookies cool, in medium bowl, with wire whisk or fork, gradually mix cocoa with 1/4 cup boiling water until smooth. Gradually stir in confectioners' sugar and blend well. Dip top of each cookie into glaze. Place cookies on wire rack set over waxed paper to catch any drips. Immediately sprinkle cookies with decors. Allow glaze to set, about 20 minutes. Store cookies, with waxed paper between layers, in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days, or in freezer up to 3 months.

   Makes 24 cookies