Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar 
• 2/3 cup shortening 
• 1 tablespoon water 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 2 eggs 
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1/3 cup cocoa 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips 

Icing (Frosting) 
 

• 2 cups icing sugar (confectioner's sugar) 
• 3 to 5 tablespoons water 

Decorations 
Spearmint leaf shaped gum drops  
Sugar cookie leaves  cut from scraps (optional

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with foil. Combine brown sugar, shortening, water and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat eggs into creamed mixture. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix into creamed mixture at low speed just until blended. Stir in miniature chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough at least one hour. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Roll dough into ropes 1/2 inch in diameter. Join 2 or 3 ropes to form tree trunk at bottom of cookie sheet. Shape remaining dough on foiled baking sheets into tree branches. Bake  for 9 to 11 minutes, or until cookie is set. DO NOT OVER BAKE.  
Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookie with foil from baking sheet and cool completely. Peel foil from back of cookie. 
For icing:  
Combine icing sugar and 3 tablespoons water.  Mix to blend well.  Add additional water, a little at a time, if icing is too stiff.  Add additional icing sugar if icing is too thin. Place icing in pastry bag fitted with small round writing tip.  Alternately, place in small resealable plastic bag. Snip very small hole off one corner of bag.  Pipe names onto branches of trees. If using cookie leaves tint remaining icing with green food coloring. Ice sugar cookie leaves. Attach to branches with icing.  Attach spearmint leaves to branches with icing (optional). 

Makes: 2 tree cookies