Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Another delicious Peaden family Christmas Tradition.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Source: Sue Peaden

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup cocoa
3 cup (about) flour
Large marshmallows

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 - 2 lbs of powdered sugar
1/2 milk
1 tsp vanilla
5-6 Tbs of cocoa powder (until frosting is about the same color as the batter)
dash of salt

Directions:
Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, beat to incorporate. Add baking powder, salt, vanilla. Add flour, cocoa, and milk alternately until all ingredients have been added. Create a test cookie by following the directions for completing the cookies below. Check texture of test cookie. If the edges are crispy and crunchy, the batter needs just a little bit more flour. If needed, sprinkle just a small amount of flour and mix into batter.  Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet, about one inch round. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, then check for doneness. Just before they are done, add half of a marshmallow to the top of each cookie. Bake for another minute until the marshmallow puffs up. Remove from oven and place on cool countertop or table.

While cookies are cooling, make up your frosting. Cream softened butter and 1 lb of powdered sugar, adding milk a little bit at a time. Add salt, vanilla, and half of cocoa. You want to keep adding milk, sugar, and cocoa and until you get to a smooth yet firm consistency that is about the the same color as the cookie batter.

After cookies have cooled, frost with Chocolate Buttercream frosting. Let frosting set up, then place in tins to freeze. (Optional: Before the frosting sets up, you can dip the tops of the cookies into chopped pecans.)