King Arthur Chocolate Bon-Bon Drops

Got this in an email from King Arthur Flour and plan to make them for my Holiday tray. Described as tender, deep-chocolate cookies with a rich, sweet vanilla glaze. Bite-sized beauties perfect for a holiday cookie tray or hostess gift. Top with a chocolate pearl, bright red cherry, or chocolate sprinkles and each cookie is a jewel to the eyes and a gem for the tastebuds." Sounds good doesn't it!

• Ready In: 27 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• COOKIES

• 12  tablespoons butter, softened
• 1⁄4 cup  dutch process cocoa
• 1  cup confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

• VANILLA GLAZE

• 2  cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1⁄4 cup heavy cream
• 1  tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Place all cookie dough ingredients in bowl of your mixer.
2. Beat on medium speed until a soft, smooth dough is formed.
3. Remove from bowl, shape into a 3/4" thick disc.
4. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes, or as long as overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. Shape dough into small balls, about the size of a large gumball (a teaspoon cookie scoop will help).
7. Bake for 7-10 minutes.
8. Watch cookies carefully to avoid scorching bottoms.
9. Remove cookies from oven and allow to cool slightly on pans while you prepare glaze.
10. For glaze, blend the sifted confectioners sugar with heavy cream and vanilla.
11. Glaze will be thick, almost icing consistency.
12. Using a teaspoon, portion glaze over barely warm cookies.
13. You can pipe the glaze from a piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner cut off as well.
14. Top with chocolate pearls, slivers of maraschino cherry, or chocolate sprinkles. Store any leftovers at room temperature for up to a week.