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.
Apple crisp
6 servings
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups pared, sliced tart apples
¼ cup water
½ cup flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine