Description
Rich Mexican hot chocolate cookies blend traditional cocoa spices with classic chocolate chip comfort. Warm cinnamon and chili pepper notes create a delightful dessert you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (45 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (90 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)
- 2 tbsps (28 grams) granulated sugar (optional topping)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional topping)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Calibrate oven to 350F (175C) with rack positioned centrally. Line baking sheets with parchment paper for effortless cookie release.
- Dough Composition: Whip softened butter with granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla extract, creating a smooth, glossy mixture. Simultaneously sift flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, baking soda, and salt into a separate bowl.
- Mixing Technique: Gently fold dry ingredients into butter mixture, ensuring complete incorporation without overmixing. Delicately fold in chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the dough. Optional: Roll each dough ball in cinnamon-sugar for an enhanced flavor profile.
- Baking Process: Scoop uniform dough portions and arrange on prepared baking sheets, maintaining adequate spacing between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, watching for slightly firm edges while preserving a soft, tender center.
- Cooling and Finishing: Allow cookies to rest on baking sheets for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Permit cookies to cool completely, allowing flavors to meld and texture to stabilize, resulting in a perfect balance of crisp exterior and luxurious interior.
Notes
- Control Spice Intensity: Adjust cayenne pepper quantity based on personal heat tolerance, starting with less and gradually increasing for balanced warmth without overwhelming the chocolate flavor.
- Perfect Mixing Technique: Cream butter and sugars until extremely light and fluffy, which creates a more tender cookie texture and ensures even sugar dissolution.
- Temperature Precision: Allow butter and egg to reach room temperature before mixing, promoting smoother batter integration and more consistent cookie spread during baking.
- Chill Dough Option: Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 minutes before shaping to prevent excessive spreading and enhance flavor development, resulting in more structured cookies with deeper taste complexity.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 78 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 24 mg