I love a good Christmas cookie exchange! TCHO Chocolate sent me some of their delicious chocolate yesterday, so here's my contribution to the #TCHOCookieExchange -- a virtual celebration of the taste of the season! Just don’t eat these powdered sugar confections while wearing black!

This is my own chocolatey version of a Snowball, but instead of a chocolate surprise in the center, the whole cookie is chocolately-delicious. We jokingly called them "Dirty Snowballs" today while we sampled them -- but the name might stick!

𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀

Makes 36 cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

2 t. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. flour

2 c. chopped pecans

1/4 c. TCHO unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 c. TCHO drinking chocolate crumbles

1/2 t. salt

Powdered sugar

1. Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl until it is well-mixed. Cover tightly and chill for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 325° F.

2. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.

3. Remove dough from the refrigerator. Roll dough into uniform balls of about 1 tablespoon full each. I use a 1 T. measuring spoon to make the balls even. Place balls on prepared cookie sheets evenly spaced apart — about 2 inches.

4. Bake for 12 minutes. Immediately transfer balls to cooling racks.

5. When cooled, fill a small bowl with powdered sugar. Roll each ball in the sugar to coat. You could mix in a few tablespoons full of cocoa powder for even more chocolate deliciousness!

Enjoy these with a little TCHO Drinking Chocolate — they are perfect dipped into the thick chocolate drink!

TCHO Drinking Chocolate

(much like a thick Mexican hot chocolate)

6 tablespoons boiling water

6 tablespoons TCHO Drinking Chocolate Crumbles

Boil the water in a small pan on the stove. When it is boiling, slowly add the TCHO Drinking Chocolate Crumbles while whisking swiftly with a small whisk or a handheld milk frother (my favorite). The boiling water melts the chocolate perfectly!

Serve in espresso cups.