Thursday, April 10, 2008

Mayan Chocolate Sparklers: a new personal favorite

With the arrival of a new baby comes the arrival of many visitors and over the past few weeks we've welcomed plenty of friends and family as they've dropped in to meet the new addition.
This steady stream of company has been most welcome as I haven't had the energy to get out much with the boys and it's nice to have an adult around for some real conversation.

Don't get me wrong, Noah is a great conversationalist for a two-year-old, but there is only so much one can say about rockets, big machines, volcanoes and hockey!

I like to have something on hand to serve with afternoon tea or coffee during these friendly visits and these cookies are something Noah and I mixed up recently--I think they are my new favorite cookie!
This recipe surfaced during my famous Christmas cookie exchange and was executed beautifully by my friend Kirsten. What makes these far superior to a regular double chocolate cookie is the integration of cinnamon, black pepper and cayenne, giving them some heat! Also a generous cup and a quarter of cocoa powder makes these cookies dark, delicious and totally satisfying for a chocoholic as myself.

The dough is pretty amazing, too. You may not want to bake all of it...



If you're crazy about the combination of chocolate and pepper, check out my recipe for Milk Chocolate Pudding with Long Pepper.

Mayan Chocolate Sparklers:

Preparation time: 60 minutes

Baking time: 10 minutes

Makes: 5 dozen

Ingredients:

Topping:

½ cup granulated sugar 125 mL

1 tsp ground cinnamon 5 mL

Cookies:

¾ cup vegetable shortening 175 mL

½ cup unsalted butter, softened 125 mL

¾ cup granulated sugar 175 mL

¾ cup brown sugar, packed 175 mL

2 large eggs 2

1 tsp pure vanilla extract 5 mL

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 425 mL

1 ¼ cups cocoa powder 300 mL

1 tbsp ground cinnamon 15 mL

2 tsp baking soda 10 mL

¼ tsp salt 1 mL

¼ tsp ground black pepper 1 mL

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper 1

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 250 mL

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Topping:
Combine sugar and cinnamon for topping.

Cookies:
Beat shortening, butter, sugars
and vanilla until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Sift together flour, cocoa, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir in black pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture, beating after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll in 1” (2.5 cm) balls, don’t flatten. Roll into cinnamon and sugar topping. Place on prepared cookie sheets, about 2” (5 cm) apart.
Bake 7-10 minutes. Cookies should still be soft in center. Let cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes. Remove, cool on wire rack.

30 comments:

RecipeGirl said...

I love cookies with spice in them!

When I opened your post I did a double take, it looks very similar to my own post today :)

Peter M said...

I believe this is the famous Tommy Haas recipe. I saw him on Canada AM and it's great that this recipe "leaked" to us all. They look...sparkling! lol

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

I love cookies with chocolate and cayenne -- it's only recently that I've had that flavor combination. Quite addictive!

Hit Pay Dirt said...

This weekend looks like the perfect one to curl up with a book, a fire, and a plateful of these yummy cookies. Aimee, do you deliver???

:P

gillian

Anonymous said...

i just bought a silicone cookie mat last night, and this will be the cookie recipe to christen it!

yum!

LyB said...

Oooh, Aimée those look downright sinful, all sparkly and spicy like that! Beautiful!

winedeb said...

Perfect timing! I have been craving a chocolate cookie but could not make up my mind which to make. I have all of your ingredients on hand so I am going to give them a go! The guys will love the "spice" to them!
Glad you are getting some good company and fun conversations regarding Mateo. Need to see some photos soon!

Sandy said...

Don't you just love saying, 'the boys'? That just sounded so cute, and all too familiar.
Your cookies look yummy!

Aimée said...

Hi recipegirl- your cookies look pretty spectacular! We must have been on the same wavelength.

Hi Peter- I'm not sure of the recipe source, but you are probably right.

Hi Lydia- Isn't it great? I love chocolate pudding with pepper in it also.

Hi Gillian- I don't deliver but I can be persuaded to ship on occasion!

Hi Kimberleyblue- Welcome to UtHC. Nice to meet another local! Have fun with your new mat--lucky you!

Hi Lyb- It's amazing how fast a plate of them can disappear!

Hi deb- Happy baking!You will love these.

Hi Sandy- IKWYM! I say it casually, but it makes me all happy inside when I do. :)

Deborah said...

These sound amazing! I need to try some cookies with a kick to them!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

This may become my new favourite as well Aimee:D

Rachel@fairycakeheaven said...

oooo so yummy!!!

am also seriously impressed with all the baking/cooking you've managed to do with a brands new baby, you're an inspiration!!!

Emily said...

Yes, Recipegirl did do a post on something similar. I was just thinking that.
These look great! I really want to try making this type of cookie. I used a recipe back around Christmas time, and it didn't go well.

Anonymous said...

OK, I need a few dozen of those. I'm sure that us Canadians make the best food ;)

Aimée said...

Hi Deborah- These are the cookies for you!

Hi Valli- Out with the old, in with the new, I say!

Hi Rachel- Aw, thank you! I've got my fingers crossed. lol!

Hi emiline- Hope this batch goes better for you.

Hi chuck- A few dozen? Now that's a sugar rush!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Yum, those look amazing. Now I'm in the mood for chocolate....

kickpleat said...

i love chocolate n' spice! yum, these look great.

Marie Rayner said...

Oh gosh, those look absolutely wonderfully decadent!

Sophie said...

These have such a fun name, and I have to admit, I was pretty excited when I read the "Mayan Chocolate" part :). I new it was going to be a good recipe! Also, the plate you used is so cute :).

Anonymous said...

i am loving this!!! would have never thought to do it!

Patricia Scarpin said...

I'm a cookie addict, Aimée, so I'll be baking these!

Culinary Cowgirl said...

Okay, I am so making these. I adore chocolate cookies like this...just like you said, they are perfect for entertaining.

David Hall said...

Very nice Aimee!!! Hope it is all going well with the little fella.

Cheers
David

J. H. Austin said...

Long ago Jenn and I fell in love... with the combination of cayenne and chocolate. Eaten or drunk, it's lovely. Jenn made this recipe today, a new one to us to us, and we enjoyed it very much. The perfect thing to serve Lenny, Betty, and Marlys. :)

Anonymous said...

Finally made them, and they are absolutely heavenly! Thanks for posting it!

Did you find, during all your batter-eating, that the cayenne stood out MUCH more than after baking?

Anonymous said...

The cookies turned out great, and my husband has renamed them Russian Roulette cookies since you never know what bite the pepper might be in : )

Unknown said...

best cookies ever...I've made them both with pepper and with-out (for my wife)...new family favorites!

for those who want to really spice it up, try one rounded teaspoon of Penzey's Spices "black and red" (half black pepper, half cayenne pepper). yum.

Nicholle Montalvo said...

These look CRAZY GOOD!! Can't wait to make these!! :D

New follower via mybakingaddiction

Visit my blog: www.welcometomontalvocountry.blogspot.com

Madeleine said...

I made these wonderful Mayan chocolate cookies - what a treat... Perfect with a glass of red wine !

coleen said...

Hi Aimee,
I just clicked over here from Simple Bites. I'm trying to limit the amount of shortening in the house--is there anything else I could use? More butter? Any other suggestions greatly appreciated!

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