Made for Sarah's birthday in 2023. Makes 3½ dozen.
| Ingredients | Step |
|---|---|
| Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets. | |
| 3¼ c. flour 1½ c. sugar 1 T. baking powder ¼ c. cocoa powder 1¼ t. black pepper, fresh ground 1½ t. cinnamon ¼ t. clove ½ t. salt |
Sift together. |
| ¾ c. shortening | Work in the shortening (aim for coarse cornmeal texture). |
| ½+ c. milk ⅔ c. walnuts, chopped |
Add milk and nuts. Mix by hand until well-blended. If necessary, add a bit more milk so the dough holds together. |
| Pinch off 1-inch pieces of dough and roll them into balls. Place 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until firm. | |
| 1½ c. powdered sugar, sifted 3 T. milk 1 t. rum extract |
Beat until smooth for a thin frosting (while the cookies bake). Add a wee bit more milk if necessary. |
| sprinkles | Let cookies cool on racks only until warm. Dip tops into icing, then sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Let the frosting dry completely, then layer the cookies between wax paper to store. |
Source: ciaoitalia.com (Mrs. Tigani's Chocolate and Black Pepper Cookies)