Chocolate Dipped Cut-Outs

I found this recipe years ago and am now copying it here from our family cookbook binder. Enjoy!

Chocolate Dipped Cut-Outs

Cookie:                                                                     

1 cup butter, softened                                              

1 cup sugar                                                               

1 egg                                                                        

2 Tbl. milk                                                                

1 tsp. vanilla                                                           

2 to 2 ½ cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Coating:

Nonpareils or coarse decorating sugar

2 cups milk chocolate chips

2 Tbl shortening   

Combine butter and sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy.  Add egg, milk and vanilla; continue beating until well mixed.  Reduce speed to low; add all remaining cookie ingredients.  Beat until well mixed.  Divide dough in half.  Wrap each half in plastic food wrap; refrigerate until firm (at least one hour).

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll out dough on heavy floured surface (and rolling pin), one half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), to ¼ inch thickness, but not too thin or they break when you handle them after cooking.  Dough will absorb most excess flour when cooked, so don’t worry if they have a light flour coating on them after you cut them.  Cut with cookie cutter.  Cookies are delicate when done, so use a small cookies cutter.  Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 7-8 minutes or until edges are firm.  Let stand 1 minute.  Remove from cookie sheets.  Cool completely.

Place nonpareils or course decorating sugar in small, shallow dish; set aside.  Combine chocolate chips and shortening in 1 qt. saucepan.  Cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat until chocolate melts.  Remove from heat.  Dip half of each cookie into chocolate mixture.  Immediately roll chocolate-coated edges of cookie in nonpareils or course sugar, if desired.  Let stand on wax paper until set.