mexican chocolate cookie

I wanted to make these cookies for a few reasons. I love a theme. I love a party, a meal, an event with a theme. We eat a lot of Mexican food and I always struggle what to serve for dessert. The meals are typically heavy so, just a little sweet bite and I have not met a flan I like. These cookies could fill that bill. The second reason is because I continue to read about the mix of chili and chocolate. I like spicy and I like sweet so I was intrigued if I would like the spicy/sweet combination. These cookies came out good despite the fact I continued to make "mistakes" along the way. These cookies and these "mistakes" made me realize how much there is to learn from mistakes in the kitchen and truly experience and experimentation is what makes a good cook. I learned if you make cookie dough with melted chocolate do not refrigerate the dough before baking. It turns into a hard mound of chocolate. It took almost 2 hours for the dough to return to room temperature. The cookies looked like they would be dry when they came out of the oven but, they weren't. They were crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I like spice way more then my other family members so I had a light hand with the peppers but, wish I hadn't. The spice was good but, mild and the cookies tasted very chocolaty with a nice warmth from the cinnamon. Lots learned and lots more to try!


Mexican Chocolate Cookie
Adapted: Cooking Light

•5 ounces bittersweet (60 to 70 percent) chocolate, coarsely chopped

•3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/3 ounces)
•1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•Dash of black pepper ( a little less then 1/8 tsp)
•Dash of ground red pepper ( a little less then 1/8 tsp)
•1 1/4 cups sugar
•1/4 cup butter, softened
•1 large egg
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•Cooking spray
•Powder sugar (dust over top when cool)

Preheat oven to 350°.
Place chocolate in a double boiler and heat until melted. Cool to room temperature.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper); stir with a whisk.
Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg; beat well. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; beat just until blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Drop dough by level tablespoons 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven. Cool on pans 2 minutes or until set. Remove from pans; cool completely on a wire rack.