Spiced Mexican Chocolate Cookies with Cinnamon and Cayenne
These rich chocolate cookies blend the warm spices of Mexican hot chocolate with a tender, fudgy texture. The combination of cinnamon and cayenne pepper creates a gentle heat that complements the deep chocolate flavor, while Demerara sugar adds a delicate crunch to the tops. Perfect for holiday gatherings or when you want to surprise guests with an unexpected twist on classic chocolate cookies. The dough requires brief chilling to make shaping easier, resulting in cookies with crisp edges and soft centers.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups Gold Medal All-Purpose Flouralmond flour3/4 ratiogluten-freegluten-free
reduces structure slightly
- ¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
- ½ cup butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 tablespoons Demerara (raw) sugar
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F
- 2
Mix flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and red pepper in small bowl and set aside
- 3
Heat butter and chocolate chips in 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted
- 4
Remove from heat and stir in granulated sugar
- 5
Pour into large bowl
- 6
Beat in eggs one at a time until blended
- 7
Beat in vanilla
- 8
Stir in flour mixture until well blended
- 9
Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes
- 10
Shape dough into 36 balls measuring 1 1/4 inches
- 11
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets and flatten slightly
- 12
Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon Demerara sugar over top of each cookie
- 13
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are set
- 14
Cool 2 minutes then remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack
- 15
Cool completely for at least 20 minutes
Tips
Lightly butter your hands if the dough becomes too sticky when shaping into balls.
Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain their soft texture and prevent them from drying out.
For more intense heat, increase the cayenne pepper to 1/2 teaspoon, but taste-test first as the spice level can vary.
Good to Know
Store covered in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Dough can be shaped into balls and frozen for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes.
Serve at room temperature. Pair with coffee, hot chocolate, or milk.
Common Mistakes
Don't skip the chilling time or dough will be too sticky to shape properly.
Avoid overbaking as cookies continue cooking on hot pan after removal.
Space cookies 2 inches apart to prevent spreading into each other.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I make these cookies less spicy?
Yes, reduce the cayenne pepper to 1/8 teaspoon or omit it entirely. The cinnamon will still provide warm spice flavor without heat.
What if I don't have Demerara sugar?
You can substitute with turbinado sugar, brown sugar, or regular granulated sugar. Coarse sugars provide better texture contrast.
How long do these cookies keep?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or freeze shaped dough balls for up to 3 months.