Chocolate Crackle Tops   From The Cookie Party Cookbook: The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Cookie Exchange St. Martin's Press/Macmillan by Robin Olson (www.cookie-exchange.com) A cookie exchange classic. Chocolate Crackle Tops add a visual impact to a basic chocolate cookie.

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2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
½ cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar, plus additional for rolling
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar for rolling

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Lightly grease the baking sheets, or line with parchment paper. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave or double boiler, cool, and then beat together in a bowl with the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

Add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the creamed ingredients and mix until well combined. Chill the dough for 1 hour. With sugar-coated hands, roll the dough into 1-inch balls; and roll first into granulated sugar, then confectioners’ sugar.

Place the balls, 2 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 11 to 13 minutes. They are done when the sugar cracks and parts of chocolate cookie are visible. Transfer to wire racks to cool.   Makes about 4 dozen cookies