Italian Chocolate Cookies

Holiday festivities seem dull without cookies. Don’t argue with us on this one!

We’ve the perfect recipe for you to prepare delicious chocolate-filled cookies during the upcoming holidays. Make these cookies at home and preserve them in an air-tight container. You can also enjoy this healthy snack with evening tea.

Health Benefits

Not many people are aware that chocolate is good for their health. Dark chocolate is rich in anti-oxidants and thereby, eliminates harmful free radicals from your body.

It improves your overall health and prevents the growth of cancerous cells. It also controls LDL cholesterol level to protect you from heart diseases.

Protein                 1.5 g

Carbohydrates  12 g

Dietary Fiber      0.7 g

Potassium           9.7 mg

Fat                         3.5 g

Sodium                74.2 mg

Cholesterol         9.6 mg

Ingredients

cup butter (softened): 1

cups white flour: 3

cup white sugar: 3/4

teaspoon baking powder: 4

large eggs, lightly beaten: 5

cup milk: 1/3

teaspoon vanilla extract: 1

cup vegetable shortening: 1/2

cup unsweetened cocoa powder: 1/4

teaspoon all spice, ground: 1 1/2

large orange zest: 1

teaspoon fresh orange juice: 1

teaspoon cloves, ground: 1 1/2

teaspoon cinnamon, freshly ground: 1 1/2

cup walnuts, chopped (optional): 1/2

cream cheese, softened: 8 oz

confectioners' sugar: 2 cups

How To Make Italian Chocolate Cookies

1. Preheat oven at 175 °C.
2. Take flour, cocoa powder, white sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and cloves in a large bowl. Whisk to mix all the ingredients.
3. Add orange juice and stir.
4. Add vegetable shortening and margarine and mix well until the ingredient mixture turns crumbly.
5. Take eggs and vanilla extract in another large bowl and beat until the mixture turns foamy.
6. Pour this mixture into the bowl of flour mixture and add milk and orange zest.
7. Knead dough in the bowl with your hands for about 8 minutes until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Make sure the dough doesn’t stick to your hands.
8. If the dough is too stiff, add a little more milk.
9. Add cream cheese and walnuts to the dough and knead it for a minute or two.
10. Form small balls from the dough and place them on a baking sheet. You can prepare cookies in any shape.
11. Bake these cookies in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes until they turn light brown.
12. Mix milk, orange juice, and confectioners’ sugar and beat until the frosting gets thick.
13. Dip cookies in the frosting mixture.
14. Let cookies dry overnight.
15. Serve and enjoy!

Trivia

• It takes 400 cocoa beans to produce a single pound of chocolate.
• Chocolate is obtained from the seeds of a fruit tree.
• During the American Revolutionary Wars, soldiers often received chocolates instead of a cash pay.

White chocolate isn’t real chocolate and is made from cocoa butter.