The First Snowfall and Holda's Chocolate Snowflake Cookies

We had quite a dump of snow this weekend and I have been having some interesting dreams. This one is definitely heavy on the UPG, but also is the reason for me starting this Holiday Traditions blog. I was dreaming last night that I was collecting Yuletide recipes and associating foods with different deities. I don't remember most of it but I remember that the one for Holda was Snowflake Cookies.

This is a recipe that my mother-in-law makes each year during this season. It is a chocolate cookie with a powdered sugar exterior.

Chocolate Snowflake Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup/250 mL flour

1 teaspoon/5 mL baking powder

1/4 teaspoon/1 mL salt

5 tablespoons/75  mL unsalted butter

6 tablespoons/90 mL cacao

1 cup/250 mL granulated sugar

1 teaspoon/5 mL vanilla

2 large eggs

1/2 cup/125 mL powdered sugar

Directions

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

2. Melt butter over low heat and then mix in the cacao. Blend well.

3. Remove from heat and stir in granulated sugar.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the vanilla, the eggs one at a time while stirring.

5. Slowly stir together the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture.  Mix well.

6. Cover the dough and chill for at least a 1/2 hour.

7. Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC.

8. Roll the chilled dough into 1/2 inch/3 cm balls and roll them in the powdered sugar until coated.

9. Place the cookie balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet, 2 inches/5 cm apart, and bake for 8 minutes.