1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie jars or stitch onto waxed paper. Make a 5x1 inch layer out of the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Layer with mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from heat and cool fully on a wire rack.
In a large bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter or margarine and the chocolate chips until smooth. Beat in the white sugar and flour.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the cocoa mixture. Beat in the 2 1/2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon at a time. After every mixture, remove from pan using a wooden spoon, and set aside to cool.
One by one, roll cookie ones into 1 inch balls. Place on prepared cookie sheets. Roll each ball in chocolate until coated. Repeat with remaining cookie layers, putting one or two in each pan. Place chocolate lined side up on prepared cookie sheet, overlapping.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until surface is almost oil. Cool completely. Cover pan loosely with waxed paper, and let cool completely. When ready to store, place chilled cookies on waxed paper between two sheets of waxed paper to form a barrier. Let cool completely.