Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup boiling water, approximately
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup milk, approximately
• 1 tablespoon boiling water, approximately
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.

3. Cream butter and sugar together.

4. Add enough boiling water to cocoa to make a paste.

5. Beat into butter mixture.

6. Stir in milk, cinnamon and vanilla.

7. Add flour mixture and stir to make a stiff dough.

8. Roll out and cut out cookies.

9. Place 2" apart on greased cookie sheet.

10. Bake at 375° until lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes.

11. Cool completely.

12. For the glaze, combine butter and milk in top of double boiler and heat just until butter melts.

13. Add enough boiling water to cocoa to make a paste.

14. Stir cocoa mixture into butter mixture.

15. Add vanilla, then powdered sugar.

16. If glaze is too thick, add a little more milk.

17. Frost cookies when cool.