Italian Chocolate Balls (Tuttu Balls)

These Italian chocolate cookies with a thin almond glaze have an extra crunch from toasted almonds added to do the dough.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 239 Calories

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 cups white sugar
• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon water, or as needed
• 1 (6 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 0.25 teaspoon almond extract
• 0.5 pound almonds
• 0.25 pound unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1.5 cups shortening

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spread almonds onto a baking sheet.

Step 2

Bake almonds until toasted and fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and cool almonds slightly; chop.

Step 3

Sift flour 2 times. Mix cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together with flour in a bowl. Beat white sugar, shortening, and eggs together in a separate bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.

Step 4

Mix creamed mixture into flour mixture. Add almonds, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract to flour mixture and mix well using your hands or a large spoon until dough holds together and is smooth. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.

Step 5

Bake in the oven until bottoms are slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6

Stir confectioners' sugar and almond extract together in a bowl; add enough water to make a thin frosting. Roll cookies in the frosting and place on a wire rack to dry.