Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3/4 cup of melted Crisco
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 3 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 cup of cocoa powder
• 4 cups of flour
• Chopped fruit and nuts (optional)

For the icing and decoration:

• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• A few teaspoons of milk
• Sprinkles (nonpareils)
• Cocoa powder (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, add the sugar, eggs, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth and light.
3. While still beating the mixture, add the melted Crisco and milk. Mix until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the cocoa powder and flour together. While still beating the mixture, add the flour mixture 1/2 a cup at a time. Be careful not to over-mix by mixing until the flour mixture is just incorporated.
5. Roll a 1-inch ball of dough with your hands and put onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 1 inch apart.
6. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes.
7. Allow the cookies to cool completely before icing.

For the icing and decoration:

1. Add the powdered sugar to a bowl. If you're adding cocoa powder to the icing, add a few spoonfuls. Add a teaspoon of milk at a time, and mix until you have the right consistency (not too thin, not too thick).
2. Spread on the top of the cookies with your fingers, and add sprinkles while the icing is still wet.