Chocolate Shortbread

1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
1/2 cup dutch processed cocoa, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups flour
Melted white or dark chocolate, optional

Cream butter until light. Gradually beat in icing sugar until fluffy.
Add cocoa and vanilla and beat well.
Gradually beat in salt and flour to form a soft dough.
Flatten dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8" to 1/4" thick. Cut with cookie cutters and place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 325 degrees F for 12 to 13 minutes. Because these cookies are dark, be careful not to overcook and burn them.
Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling racks and cool completely before decorating.
To decorate, drizzle or pipe with, or dip into melted chocolate. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen