Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 ozs. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• confectioner's (powdered) sugar
• 6 oz. bag chocolate nonpareils (with white or colored candies)

Directions

In an electric mixer bowl, add butter, sugar, melted chocolate and

vanilla and mix on low-medium until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until blended after each addition.

In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the electric mixer bowl and mix on low just until well-blended, scraping the sides to incorporate all. Cover cookie mixture and place in the refrigerator. Chill for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter or spray baking sheets with nonstick spray. Place confectioner's sugar in a small bowl. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in confectioner's sugar to thoroughly coat. Place balls on baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until outer edges appear set. (Note: Centers of cookies might appear a little undone, but you can remove them from the oven if the outer edges are set, as this will ensure a chewy cookie.)

Immediately after removing cookie sheets from the oven, place a nonpareil on the center of each cookie and lightly press down. (The chocolate on the bottom of the nonpareils will soften from the cookies' heat and will seal to the top of the cookies.) Note: Do not touch nonpareils after you have placed them on the cookies, because the softened chocolate will squish if touched. Allow cookies to sit for 1 minute after applying nonpareils, then carefully transfer cookies to a cooling rack with a spatula. May be served warm while chocolate nonpareils are soft and melty, or cooled after nonpareils have hardened. Store in air-tight container.