Mexican Chocolate Cookies…

• Tweet
• Email
• Sharebar

• Tweet
• Email

Mexican Chocolate Cookies

Over the holiday, I decided to confront my baking fears and head into the kitchen to make some goodies to bring to my mother’s house.  I’ve always used the Rachael Ray mantra “I’m a cook – not a baker!” as a defense mechanism to rationalize my fear of baking.  When it comes to cooking I excel, however but baking?  Let’s just say that more often than not I have fallen short.

In this month’s issue of Cooking Light they spotlighted some cookies that were just begging to be made.  ”Hmmmm.. Mexican Chocolate Cookies – how bad can THAT be?”  Sure enough – the cookies were  the standouts – the delicious heat of the cayenne mixed with the richness of the chocolate and the warmth of the cinnamon – divine.  You might want to make these for your next cookie exchange or to leave for Santa for a little somethin’ extra in your holiday stocking…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, December 2009

Ingredients:

• 5 oz. bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3.4 oz all purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Dash of black pepper (I used about 1/8 tsp.)
• Dash of cayenne pepper (I used about 1/8 tsp.)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. Mexican vanilla extract (or whatever vanilla extract you have on hand)’
• 1 tsp. of cooled espresso or coffee
• 1 tsp. Powdered Sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place chocolate in small glass bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until almost melted, stirring until smooth.  Add cooled espresso or coffee to chocolate.  Cool to room temperature.
3. Weight or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife.
4. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, black pepper & cayenne pepper; stir well with a whisk.
5. Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until blended.
6. Add egg; beat well.
7. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; beat until just blended.
8. Add the flour mixture gradually.
9. Drop dough by level tablespoons 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
10. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until almost set.
11. Remove from oven; cool on pans 2 minutes or until set.
12. Remove from pans; cool completely on a wire rack.
13. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Makes 32 cookies.

Setting Up The Ingredients...

Heading Into Their "Sauna"

Fresh Out Of The Oven

Mexican Chocolate Cookies