Soft Chocolate Cookies

Submitted by Katie Cunningham

Soft Chocolate Cookies

(From "The Essential Mormon Cookbook" by Julie Badger Jensen)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp almond or vanilla extract

2 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1 cup sour cream

1 recipe Creamy Chocolate Frosting (see below)

40 pecan halves

1. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl; set aside.
   
2. In another bowl cream butter, brown sugar, eggs, almond or vanilla extract, cooled melted chocolate, and sour cream.
   
3. Stir in the flour mixture.
   
4. Mix well.
   
5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.
   
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Cool.
   
7. Frost cookies with Creamy Chocolate Frosting and top each with a pecan half.
   

Makes 40 cookies.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

2 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate

2 Tbl butter

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup cream

1. melt chocolate in microwave at 20-second intervals just until melted.
   
2. Stir in butter.
   
3. Add powdered sugar and cream. Mix together.
   
4. Add more powdered sugar or cream if necessary for desired consistency.
   

Makes enough frosting to cover 4 dozen cookies.