Strawberry Shortcake Murder

COCOA SNAPS

DO NOT preheat oven yet—dough must chill before baking.

1 1/2 cups melted butter (3 sticks)

2 cups cocoa powder (unsweetened)

2 cups brown sugar

3 large eggs beaten (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)

4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour (not sifted)

1/2 cup white sugar in a small bowl (for later)

Melt butter and mix in cocoa until it’s thoroughly blended. Add brown sugar. Let it cool slightly, then mix in beaten eggs. Add soda, salt, and vanilla and stir. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (Overnight is fine, too.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls with your hands. This dough may be sticky, so roll only enough for the cookies you plan to bake immediately, then return the bowl to the refrigerator. Roll the dough balls in the bowl of white sugar and place them on greased cookie sheets, 12 to a standard sheet. Flatten them with a spatula (or the heel of your hand if the health board’s not around).

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheets for a minute or two and then remove the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. (If you leave them on the cookie sheet for too long, they’ll stick.)

Tracey says these taste like her favorite chocolate animal crackers, except better because she doesn’t have to pick them out from all the vanilla ones in the box.