(Italian) Chocolate Cookies

Okay, let me explain...when you think of Chocolate Cookies these do not come to mind.
Coming from an Italian family, my mom never baked Chocolate cookies as we are familiar with today.  I never knew what a Chocolate (chip) cookie was until I moved away to college.

However, my mom made Chocolate cookies at Christmas time, similar to this recipe I found via Foodgawker.  (Thanks to my co-worker/friend who introduced me to Foodgawker).

http://www.applecrumbles.com/2011/08/22/cnyeats-a-taste-of-utica-italian-chocolate-toto-cookies/#comments

The Chocolate cookies that my mom made had walnuts in it and were made with shortening.
Also it had a vanilla icing on top. (I am unable to get the recipe for those cookies.  She does not measure anything, and goes by memory.  Much different baker than I.  I need a recipe to follow.)
I remember sneaking to the basement to devour the cookies.  I was a sneaky-kid, when it came to sweets. 

Anyways, these cookies are the closest cookies to my mom's.
The pictures on Apple Crumbles blog are yummy and my pictures do not do them justice.
They are easy to make and they yield approx. 100 cookies.  Depending on how big you make them and how many you eat before you start counting them.  I taste as I go.  I love cookies, hence the reason for the blog about cookies.  :)

* I omitted the cloves and nuts. 
My kids have braces and retainers therefore I omit the nuts.

* The recipe called for Chocolate Frosting, I did half of the batch in Chocolate Glaze and the other half in Vanilla Glaze.

(Italian) Chocolate Cookies

3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
3 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
8 Tbsp sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
5 cups flour
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

*Preheat to 400F.
*In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients except flour.
*Then by hand, add the flour until dough is stiff.
*Roll into small balls and place on an ungreased baking sheet/pan.
*Bake for 10 minutes.

Chocolate Frosting

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk
Confectioners' sugar, use until desired consistency.

*Mix all ingredients.

Vanilla Frosting

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk
Confectioners' sugar, use until desired consistency.

*Mix all ingredients.

* I dunked the cookie in the frosting, and set aside until the icing hardened.

* You may freeze these cookies. 

:)