Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

Total Time Prep: 30 min. Bake: 10 min. + cooling
Yield 5 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
I recently found this old family recipe in my mom’s kitchen. I made a few adjustments to streamline the process, and the cookies turned out wonderfully. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • GLAZE:
  • 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons 2% milk
  • Sprinkles, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and cloves; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in walnuts.
  2. Shape level tablespoons of dough into balls; place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until bottoms are light brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  3. For glaze, in a large bowl, mix confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup and enough milk to reach desired consistency. Dip tops of cookies into glaze; if desired, decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until set. Store between pieces of waxed paper in airtight containers.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 99 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 13mg cholesterol, 57mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.

I recently found this old family recipe in my mom’s kitchen. I made a few adjustments to streamline the process, and the cookies turned out wonderfully. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida
Recipe Creator
Community Cook

© 2025 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC