Chocolate sparkles

5 to 6 dozen cookies

1 cup softened butter or margarine
1¼ cups sugar
2 eggs
2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla
2⅔ cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar

Beat fat and 1¼ cups sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs; add melted chocolate and vanilla.

Mix flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture; blend well. Chill dough.

Shape dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll balls in ¼ cup sugar and place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° F. (hot oven) 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove from baking sheet while warm.

Variations

Cinnamon-sugar cookies.—Omit chocolate. Roll balls of dough in a mixture of ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon; bake as directed.

Chocolate chip cookies.—In place of 1½ cups granulated sugar, use ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 cup brown sugar. Beat sugars with butter or margarine. Omit the chocolate. Stir ⅔ cup chopped nuts and 1 package (12 ounces) chocolate chips into the dough. Drop dough from a teaspoon onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake as directed.