Featured Cookie: Mayan Chocolate Sparklers

Jaime over at Embracing Balance posted this cookie recipe and agreed to let me feature it on From My Kitchen.

These cookies have a double dose of chocolate and a sparkling sugar coating. They are both beautiful and delicious.

What interested me most in this recipe was the addition of black & cayenne peppers. I've never baked a cookie that required either of the two. I'm guessing that's where the "Mayan" part comes in.

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Mayan Chocolate Sparklers

Ingredients:

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Cookies:
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Combine sugar and cinnamon in small dish for topping.
Beat shortening, butter and sugars in large bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add next 6 ingredients, mixing until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips (by hand, the dough will be quite stiff).
Roll in 1" balls, don't flatten. Roll into cinnamon sugar topping. Place on prepared cookie sheets about 2" apart (cookies will expand during baking).
Bake 8-10 minutes. Cookies should still be soft in centre. Let cool on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Share the Joy!

Take a batch to your local fire department.

Happy Holidays!

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Got a cookie recipe you'd like to share?

I'd love to try it.