Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Snowmen

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour
mini chocolate chips
decorator icing (purchase icing or use recipe below)

Beat butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until combined. Beat in flour. (If your mixer isn't very strong, you may need to stir by hand to finish adding all of the flour.)

To make snowmen, shape dough into one 1" ball, one 3/4" ball, and one 1/2" ball. Place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet in decreasing sizes with edges touching. Press together slightly. Insert two mini chips in the smallest ball for eyes, one in the middle and two in the largest ball for buttons. Repeat to make 24 snowmen.

Bake at 325 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes. (Cookies will be done but not browned.) Remove to wire racks to cool.

Decorate with icing to make scarves and brooms for the snowmen.

Decorator icing - Stir together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. Stir in milk a few drops at a time until it reaches piping consistency. Tint with gel food coloring (liquid coloring won't have as bright colors and will make the icing thinner.)