She Strengthens

Spicy Mexican Chocolate Cookies: A Twist on a Classic

The Magic of Mexican Chocolate

What sets Mexican chocolate apart from its traditional counterpart is the addition of warm spices like cinnamon and a hint of heat from cayenne pepper. This unique flavor combination creates a rich, deep, and spicy cookie that’s sure to tantalize your taste buds.

Creating the Perfect Blend

Since finding authentic Mexican chocolate can be a challenge, we decided to create our own custom blend using Dutch-process cocoa powder, cinnamon, and a touch of cayenne pepper. This special blend adds a fascinating depth to our cookie dough, making it a standout in the world of sweet treats.

Easy to Make, Easy to Store

Form the dough into logs, refrigerate, and then slice-and-bake whenever you’re in the mood for a spicy chocolate fix. The best part? These cookie logs can be frozen for up to a month, making them perfect for meal prep or last-minute gatherings.

Game Plan

• Freeze the dough logs for up to a month by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
• Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before slicing and baking.

Yield and Difficulty

• Yields: About 40 cookies
• Difficulty: Easy
• Total Time: 40 minutes, plus at least 2 hours chilling time

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Mixing the Dough

1. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt in a medium bowl to break up any lumps; set aside.
2. Place butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula.
4. Return the mixer to medium speed, add the egg and vanilla, and beat until just incorporated.
5. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with the rubber spatula.

Shaping and Chilling the Dough

1. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the reserved flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.
2. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it in half.
3. Roll each portion into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
4. Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Baking the Cookies

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange the racks to divide the oven into thirds.
2. Remove the dough logs from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and slice the dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
3. Place the rounds about 1/2 inch apart on 2 baking sheets (about 20 cookies per sheet).
4. Bake both sheets for 6 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom and bake until the edges of the cookies are firm but the tops are still soft, about 6 to 7 minutes more.

Cooling and Storing

1. Place the baking sheets on wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Using a flat spatula, transfer the cookies to the wire racks to cool completely.
3. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.