Recipe::Cookie - Chocolate Drops

I have decided that I will start by posting some recipes. Cookies happen to be one my favorite things to make. Because of this, I'm going to be posting one cookie recipe each week for at least the foreseeable future. So, without further ado, here is the first cookie recipe...

1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cocoa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Set aside.
2. Cream shortening, butter, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add buttermilk and vanilla extract and stir just until combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients in batches (about 1/3 of the dry ingredients in each batch) and stir until thoroughly combined after each addition.
5. Refrigerate dough for one hour.
6. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
7. Drop teaspoonfuls of the dough on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
9. Immediately move cookies to cooling rack. Make sure cookies are completely cooled before storing.

* Sour milk can be made by mixing 1 tsp. of white distilled vinegar and 1 cup of whole milk.