Polka Dots

Tips: Buttery, hand-formed little cookies, these are derived from Russian Tea Cakes, also called Mexican Wedding Cakes or Greek Butter Cookies. The cookies will keep for at least a couple of weeks at cool room temperature if stored airtight, and they definitely need to age for at least a day or two before you eat them. These are easy to make, but you must not overhandle the dough. You can use either milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips; if you use the former, the chips may have a bit of crunch to their outsides when the cookies are done. Use good-quality chips, please; I like Guittard (their milk chocolate chips are very large, but they still work well here). Nice to have on hand just for "a little something sweet". Some people like to roll these in confectioners' sugar again just before serving them, as it gives a neater appearance.

Line cookie sheets with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Set aside. Adjust rack to center of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In large bowl, combine softened butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla. With large spoon, cream together until well-mixed and fluffy. Add about half of flour and stir in, then gradually work in remaining flour and salt. Dough will be stiff. Stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Form balls of cookie dough just over 1 inch in diameter; place on lined cookie sheet (these don't spread much, so I place 15 cookies on a 15-1/2 inch by 10-1/2 inch sheet). Bake cookies one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 13 to 14 minutes. They'll spread slightly during baking and lose their "raw" look, but the cookies shouldn't brown noticeably.

Allow baked cookies to stand on sheet 2 to 3 minutes before removing to cooling rack (be careful--these are quite fragile when hot). Cool completely before rolling thoroughly in confectioners' sugar. Store airtight at cool room temperature at least 24 hours before eating. If desired, roll in confectioners' sugar again before serving.

2-1/2 to 3 dozen cookies