Italian Chocolate Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Crisco, melted
1 cup raisins
4 cups plus 1 tsp. flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 T. baking soda 1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. ground cloves
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Melt Crisco and cool. Soak raisins in water 10 minutes. Drain well, dry in paper towel, and add 1 teaspoon flour and toss to coat. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, soda, spices, raisins and optional nuts. Add Crisco and milk to dry ingredients. Roll into balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet about 10 minutes. Do NOT over bake!

Frost while warm with white icing. Decorate with festive sprinkles.

Thanks to Pamela K. Kinney!