1. Place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over (not touching) gently simmering water in a saucepan. Heat, stirring often, until melted. Remove from the heat.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder into a bowl, then whisk in the salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and brown sugar and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the melted chocolate and food coloring and beat until evenly colored. On low speed, add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

3. Position two oven racks, evenly spaced, in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

4. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a shallow bowl. 

5. Scoop up 1 tablespoon of the dough, roll it between your palms into a ball, and then roll the ball in the confectioners’ sugar, coating it generously. Place the cookies on the prepared sheet pans, spacing them evenly and arranging twelve cookies on each sheet. Lightly flatten each ball with the palm of your hand.

6. Bake the cookies for about 14 minutes, until deep cracks appear on the surface, switching the baking sheets between the racks halfway through baking. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to the racks. Repeat to bake the remaining dough. Let cool completely before serving.

Reprinted from Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season by Elisabet der Nederlanden, copyright © 2017 by Ten Speed Press. Photographs copyright © 2017 by Erin Scott. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.