Recipe: Chocolate Drop Cookies

This recipe is from my Betty Crocker Book purchased when I was in High School, so I am vintage, eh (laughs).

CHOCOLATE DROP COOKIES

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 oz melted unsweetened chocolate (cool)
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour*
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts, if desired
Chocolate Icing or Browned Butter Icing (recipes follow)

Mix thoroughly butter, sugar, egg, chocolate, buttermilk, and vanilla. Stir in flour, soda, salt, and nuts. Cover; chill 1 hour.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched with finger. Immediately remove from baking sheet; cool.

Frost cooled cookies with Chocolate icing.

VARIATIONS:

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY DROPS:
Omit nuts and stir in 2 cups candied or maraschino cherries. Use chocolate icing.

COCOA DROP COOKIES:
Increase butter to 2/3 cup; omit chocolate and stir in 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE DROPS:
Stir in 1 (6 oz) pkg semisweet chocolate pieces.

CHOCOLATE ICING

2 squares (1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons water
about 2 cups confectioner's sugar

Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter or margarine over low heat. Remove from heat; blend in 3 tablespoons water and confectioner's sugar.

BROWNED BUTTER ICING

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
about 2 tablespoons light cream

Heat butter or margarine over low heat until golden brown. Remove from heat; blend in confectioner's sugar, vanilla and light cream.