Spicy Chocolate Cookies
These spicy chocolate cookies (aka Mexican hot chocolate cookies) have a hint of cayenne and cinnamon and are rich and chewy! The spiciness is not overpowering, rather it pops in a bit at the end and makes for a really unique cookie experience!
Spicy Chocolate Cookies Overview
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Techniques Used: Creaming Method for Cookies
Before I ever started Baker Bettie, I had a cookie business called Sweet Chip Cookies. The business consisted of a lineup of classic cookie flavors with a twist. My spicy chocolate cookies were one of my most popular flavors, so now I’m giving you the recipe!
These cookies are such a fun take on a double chocolate chip cookie. When you first start eating them, you have a rich and decadent chocolate experience. But then the spice creeps in. These spicy chocolate cookies have a hint of cayenne and cinnamon which truthfully makes them like a Mexican hot chocolate cookie!
How to Make Spicy Chocolate Cookies
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar Together + Eggs
We’re going to start by creaming room temperature butter together with brown sugar. I like to use dark brown sugar in these cookies for more depth of flavor and more chew.
Once the butter and sugar are well creamed together, you can add the eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla extract.
Step 2: Mix in the Dry Ingredients
For the dry ingredient lineup, we are going to start with the salt, baking powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. I like to mix all of this in before adding the flour so that it gets evenly distributed. If your cocoa powder is particularly lumpy, you might consider sifting it first.
One the first dry ingredients are mixed in, we can add in the flour and mix to combine. You want to only mix until just incorporated or you cookies can become tough. Last, you can fold in the chocolate chips if using. They are optional but highly recommended!
Step 3: Scoop and Bake
Scoop large mounds of cookie dough onto parchment lined baking sheets. I like to use a large cookie scoop that is about 3 TBSP in size. Before baking, I also top each cookie with a few more chocolate chips to make them extra pretty.
These cookies come out super soft in the middle and slightly crisp on the edges. They are rich in chocolate flavor and that spiciness pops at the end! Every time I give these to someone they are so pleasantly surprised with the bit of spice!
Spicy Dark Chocolate and Cinnamon Cookies
These spicy chocolate cookies (aka Mexican hot chocolate cookies) have a hint of cayenne and cinnamon and are rich and chewy! The spiciness is not overpowering, rather it pops in a bit at the end and makes for a really unique cookie experience!
Ingredients
- 113 grams (½ cup, 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 200 grams (1 cup) brown sugar, light or dark although I prefer dark
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 40 grams (½ cup) cocoa powder (preferably Hershey’s Special Dark)
- 150 grams (1 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 150 grams (1 cup) dark chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
PREP:
- At least 30 minutes before making your cookies, set out the butter (113 grams/ ½ cup) and eggs (2 large) to come to room temperature.
- Measure out the rest of the ingredients.
- Position two oven racks on the top third and the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Make the Cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter (113 grams/ ½ cup) with the brown sugar (200 grams/ 1 cup) on medium/high speed. Cream for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl periodically.
- Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla extract (1 tablespoon). Mix on medium speed until combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the baking powder (2 teaspoons), salt (1 teaspoon), ground cinnamon (¼ teaspoon), ground cayenne pepper (¼ teaspoon), cocoa powder (40 grams/ ½ cup), and flour (150 grams/ 1 ¼ cups).
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix on medium/low speed until just incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips (150 grams/ 1 cup).
- Scoop rounded mounds of cookie dough (about 2-3 tablespoons each). Place cookie mounds onto the prepared baking sheets. It is best to only scoop about 8 cookies per sheet to allow enough room for spreading. A tip for making picture-perfect cookies: top each mound of dough with a few dark chocolate chips so that they are visible after baked.
- Bake two cookie sheets at a time for 9-11 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom halfway through. Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are lightly browned and the cookies look slightly underbaked in the center. They will continue cooking after they are removed from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before moving them to cooling racks to cool completely.
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42 Comments on “Spicy Chocolate Cookies”
Definitely you and your blog is a kind of art to be inspired. Keep doing as you do! Best wishes.
I am in a similar place in my life, knowing something is going to happen but not knowing what it will be yet. It is at time frustrating, I feel like things happen too slow and at other times I feel terrified of all the changes that are coming and want to put them off. Your photography is really beautiful and inspiring, thank you.
Just listen to your heart! Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen! I love your blog, which is always a refreshing air in my inbox. God bless you and thanks for sharing.
These cookies sound ever so intriguing with their slightly spicy side. I must try them. And I love the idea of bringing them to a gathering. Nothing better than bringing something new and surprising!
they look delish!
These look and sound amazing! Will have to try them.
You totally ARE an artist! These cookies are beautifully chocolatey and deeelicious looking!
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These cookies look absolutely luscious! All the chocolate going on here is so crazy awesome.
Love it. pinning!
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Hey! I made these the other day and the flavor is amazing, but for some reason mine turned out more cakey than chewy. I followed the recipe exactly, except I didn’t have any cayenne (I used 1/8 t of ground red pepper) and I used regular cocoa powder, but I don’t imagine those would change the texture. They are actually the perfect texture for whoopie pies, but that’s not what I was going for. Any idea what happened? I need to go back and read your science of the cookie post.
Do you live at high elevation Alyssa? It is possible too that there was too much flour in your batter. It might help to weigh the flour. I cup of flour should weight 4.5 oz. So for this recipe you need 5.6 oz of flour. When you say you used “regular cocoa powder” do you mean natural and not dutch processed? This actually could make a difference. Natural cocoa powder is much more acidic and could possibly affect the leavening of the cookie.
Oooooh I did use natural cocoa powder. Maybe that’s it (no high elevation here). I looked for dutch processed at a couple grocery stores and didn’t find any, so I just used what I had at home. I’ll definitely try to get some dutch processed cocoa and try again. Thanks!
I hear you on needing a party security blanket (…or three). I’ve tried a chocolate dessert which had cayenne in it, and I wasn’t a fan (although I like them separately). I think the addition of cinnamon could be key. Anyway, I’m up for trying a spiced chocolate recipe again.
I understand the not liking the cayenne and chocolate combo. I have had it before when it was just too much. These have just a tiny hint of it. I don’t feel like they have a real cayenne flavor, just a little tingle and spice that comes on at the end. Let me know if you do try and what you think!
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The best chocolate cookie ever. I’ve been looking for this recipe for such a long time. I baked them today and they turned out just perfect! Thank you!
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Remarkable! Its actually awesome piece of writing, I have got much clear idea regarding from this paragraph.
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Hi there superb blog! Does running a blog like this take a massive amount work?
I have very little knowledge of computer programming however I had
been hoping to start my own blog in the near future.
Anyway, if you have any ideas or techniques for new blog owners please share.
I know this is off subject however I simply had to ask.
Kudos!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I made a batch last night and am repeating it again tonight. Everyone LOVED them.
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I would never make this recipe for just 14 cookies. Is that correct 14? To dirty all the bowls all the equipment for this recipe I just couldn’t see myself doing it. Perhaps it is a typo? The recipe sounds like fun!
Thanks, Pam
Hi Pam, you may not be able to tell from the pictures but this makes 14 large cookies so it is not a typo. I rarely ever have need for much more than a dozen cookies at one time, so I don’t tend to write recipes for huge batches. But you can very easily just double the ingredients or make smaller cookies and bake them for a minute or two less. Hope that helps!
These cookies were so dry! I knew 2 tsp of baking powder looked weird. Also 2 eggs will make it more cake like. The two together are a disaster! Gonna have to change those two things and should be good. Flavor was great.
Hi Kara! I actually just retested this recipe today since I have not made it in some time and it came out chewy and moist! I’d love to help you troubleshoot! How did you measure your flour and cocoa powder? Make sure you lightly spoon them into the measuring cups without packing it down at all, then level it off. It sounds like you may have ended up with too much dry ingredients in your dough. I hope that helps!
I’ve been making this recipe for years and it’s my favorite. People keep asking for more and for me to share the recipe ! Ive never have anyone not love these cookies. So I thought I ought to thank you for it at some point. Thank you!!
You’re so welcome!!
Everyone I’ve shared these cookies with LOVES them, except my sister = more for the rest of us.
In baking I always weigh flour, sugar, cocoa, etc. as you have offered here. I use Valrhona cocoa, and Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate chips. I live at sea level. The recipe is totally reliable for me.
We have a sourdough baker in our little town who sells by subscription, 3 months every two weeks. Around Thanksgiving he made a sourdough brioche with chocolate, cocoa, cinnamon and chili, so basically the same flavor profile. It was likewise yummy, a bit more intense than these cookies. I’ll take the cookies.
So glad you like them!
Just Made these! I made them smaller but they turned out great! And there is a tiny bite of heat at the end. I like it. Thank you
Great! I’m so glad!
These turned out perfectly! I love chocolate and a little spice! Perfect for Halloween
Glad you liked them! I agree. Perfect for Halloween 🙂
I made these this past weekend and the flavor was delicious. It was just the right amount of heat at the end!
I’m still new to baking, so it was a good lesson for me as well. I focused too much on the 8-10 min. bake time recommendation and my first batch was severely underbaked. I think this was definitely due to my oven probably being closer to 340 degrees than 350. Also my cookies were truly massive haha, so I think that added to it.
In any event, it taught me to not get hung up on cook time too much and to focus more on indicators of readiness. Afterwards I looked up how to tell if a chocolate cookie is done and learned some tricks for next time (like touching the edges/center of the cookie to evaluate readiness along with the degree of sheen left on the cookie, etc.).
Looking forward to trying my hand at cookies again so I can learn from my mistakes!