Chocolate Wakeups
My son said these taste like a cross between a brownie and an gingersnap (minus the ginger). This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion. I highly recommend adding this cookbook to your cookbook shelf as every recipe I make out of it, turns out perfectly! The secret ingredient in these cookies is the cayenne pepper. I used a pretty healthy pinch and it mixes so well with the cocoa for a fantastically flavored cookie.Plan Ahead Note: the butter and egg need to be brought to room temperature.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg at room temperature
- ¾ cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- sugar crystals
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, peppers, cinnamon, and salt.
- Beat in the egg.
- Add the cocoa, then the flour.
- Stir to combine well, the dough will be very stiff.
- Drop the dough by teaspoons full onto baking sheets lined with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Lightly flatten the cookies to ¼" thick with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar.
- If desired, lightly press crystal sugar into the top of the cookies.
- Bake at 350° for 10-11 minutes, but no longer. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.