Y’all know that Tex-Mex food is a cuisine in a league all its own, right? It’s not some fusion of half Texas food and half Mexican food stirred together. Tex-Mex food includes favorites like tortilla soup, carne guisada, refried beans, crispy tacos, cheese enchiladas with chili gravy, migas and more. Are you hungry yet?
It takes a special kind of dessert to follow such spicy food—a dessert that also has a little kick to it. I’m going to let y’all in on a little secret: Texans sprinkle cayenne pepper and chili powder on their chocolate desserts. Yep, it’s true. Just ask your favorite Texan. They’ll tell you that the combination of chocolate and spice creates a sweet burn that is unbeatable. The thing about sweet heat is that it keeps you comin’ back for more. Don’t say I didn’t warn you now: these cookies are addictive.
1 Dozen Spicy Chocolate Cookies
Yields 1 dozen cookies.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a medium bowl cream together with an electric mixer the butter, shortening and sugar. Beat this mixture very well, for 1 full minute.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until just combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients. Add this mixture in 2 batches to the butter mixture, beating until just combined.
- Using a teaspoon scoop, measure 2 teaspoons of dough into your hand. Roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes if you want your cookies fudgey in the middle. They will just be beginning to crack. Bake about 1 minute longer if you like your cookies firmer. Let cool on cookie sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*If you're adverse to shortening, use butter in its place. Then, the recipe would call for 8 tablespoons (1 whole stick) of butter.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 102Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 72mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
I’ve had tex mex but definitely not the real thing! And I’ve never had cookies with a kick either! Sounds delish.
I’m new to the southwest, but still haven’t managed to try spicy chocolate…especially in cookies! They sound like the perfect vehicle for the combination though :)
YUM, what a perfect combination, and I can taste that sweet burn that is unbeatable. Im craving a cookie now. It really would be a lovely balanced dessert. Yep, this here is a winner I must try! :)
uh yum!! And a batch that’s just the right size! These remind me of the Mexican Hot Chocolate cookies I made! Love the chocolate/cinnamon combo!
This sounds like a great cookie; spicy things really boost the flavor of chocolate.
By the way, we have the exact same glass as you!
Yum! I’ve been looking for a complement to lemon spice cookies and these seem to be it!!
Just made these and my husband said that they were the best cookies EVER! ( I did omit the espresso powder as we did not have this on hand)
Made these today. I doubled the cinnamon and added chocolate chips. The dough was wet, so I refrigerated them for about 30 minutes (next time I’ll keep them in about an hour). Also, I got busy and forgot to take them off the pan, so they cooled off completely on the pan. They turned out really well and had a nice kick. :)