Cocoa Nut Cookies

I'm sure there could be a better name for these cookies but this is what they are named in my Mother in law's cookbook. I asked for this recipe a few years ago and I love making this recipe during the holidays, once you see the ingredients you'll know why it's only made for special holidays, lol. I love the combination of a soft cake like cookie topped with a marshmallow type filling and finished with white chocolate. It sounds quite time consuming but it's really not that bad. It's also a big recipe, it makes roughly 7 dozen cookies so some of you might want to cut that in half.

Cocoa Nut Cookies
1 cup oil (I use canola)
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup chopped pecan nuts
3 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 1/2 cups flour

Mix cocoa, hot water and baking soda together, set aside. Beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, and cream. Stir in the cocoa mixture, then stir in the flour, salt and nuts. Drop by tsp full and bake for 8-10 minutes or until firm to the touch at 350F. While cookies are baking prepare the gelatin filling.

Gelatin Filling
1 envelope gelatin
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
pinch Cream of Tartar

Mix the gelatin and sugar together in a saucepan. Stir in the water and bring just to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil remove from heat. Allow to cool. Add cream of tartar and whisk on high using your electric mixer until the filling holds it's shape, this can take a while.

Note: If you are using the full cookie recipe you might need to double the gelatin recipe to have enough for all your cookies. It of course, depends on how much filling you add.

Once filling is stiff enough you can start spreading it on your cooled cookies. I use a tablespoon and just spread it around, very easy. Once the gelatin as set I dip them in white milk chocolate. I always stock up on the white Easter bunnies at Easter time, I prefer the taste over the other stuff, and it's cheaper too. I also add some shortening to the chocolate to make it thinner, which makes it easier to dip.

My last tip: To help the gelatin set I always put the un-dipped cookies on my baking pans and straight into the freezer for about an hour. I find the chocolate sets quicker if the cookie is cool and it makes dipping a lot easier. You also want to make sure your chocolate is not too hot. I once read that if you leave the pot on the burner right up until the chocolate is completely melted your chocolate is already too hot. You want to take your pot off the oven while you still have a few small lumps, keep stirring until everything has melted and it should be the perfect temperature!

Enjoy!
Tina