Chocolate Drop Cookies

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate (cool)
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour*
• ½ teaspoon soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• Chocolate Icing or Browned Butter Icing (below)

Directions

1. Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, egg, chocolate, buttermilk and vanilla.
2. Stir in flour, soda, salt and nuts.
3. Cover; chill 1 hour.
4. Heat oven to 400°.
5. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.
6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched with finger.
7. Immediately remove from baking sheet; cool.
8. Frost with Chocolate Icing.

*If using self-rising flour, omit soda and salt. If using quick-mixing flour, increase buttermilk to ½ cup.

Chocolate Icing

1. Melt 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter or margarine over low heat.
2. Remove from heat; blent in 3 tablespoons water and about 2 cups confectioners’ sugar.

Browned Butter Icing

1. Heat ¼ cup butter or margarine over low heat until golden brown.
2. Remove from heat; blend in 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and about 2 tablespoons light cream.

Variations

• Chocolate-Cherry Drops: Omit nuts and stir in 2 cups cut-up candied or maraschino cherries. Use Chocolate Icing.
• Cocoa Drop Cookies: Increase butter to ⅔ cup; omit chocolate and stir in ½ cup cocoa.
• Double Chocolate Drops: Stir in 6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces.