Chocolate Spice Ball Cookies

Here is a recipe for chocolate spice ball cookies (makes approximately 25 - 30):

Cookie dough:

-  3/4 cup softened butter

-  3/4 cup granulated sugar

-  1 large egg

-  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-  1/4 cup strong coffee (can be decaf)

-  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

-  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

-  2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

-  1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

-  1 teaspoon baking powder

-  1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting:

-  1/2 cup powdered sugar

-  6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

-  strong coffee as needed (I used 5 tablespoons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream softened butter and sugar together in a medium size bowl.  Add egg, vanilla extract, and coffee (1/4 cup) and stir.  Combine flour, cinnamon, unsweetened cocoa powder, cloves, baking powder, and chopped walnuts in a small bowl.  Mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture.  At this point, you will need to use your hand to incorporate all the ingredients together.  Form dough into round balls and place on a non-stick cookie sheet.  Bake in preheat oven for 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove and let cool on a wire rack.

While the cookies are baking you can make the frosting.  Mix together the 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, and 5 tablespoons strong coffee.  Once cookies are cool, spread the frosting on each one using a knife or small spatula.  Serve and enjoy!  If you have any left over or are baking them for a later date, you can store the cookies in an air tight container at room temperature.