Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies

November 27th, 2008

I work with this amazing bakestress. Her name is Raquel (aka ROK, because she DOES ROCK!), and she makes hands down the most delicious, creative homemade scratch cakes I’ve ever eaten. 

See her website here

and

Her flickr page here.

Anyway, in addition to her amazing cakes, she’ll also just sometimes bake and bring in random treats. A week or so ago, she brought in these UNREAL yummy Mexican Chocolate Icebox cookies, and of course I just had to have the recipe. Be forewarned they are slightly spicy (but not crazy, just a little bit of heat, which you can adjust to your taste).

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Recipe from Raquel Salaysay

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup quality dutch-process unsweetened cocoa (IMPORTANT-don’t use hersheys, get a good quality dutch cocoa for these)
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 – 3/4 tsp cayenne (here is where you can adjust to your liking)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
12 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS:

• Whisk flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Put sugar, vanilla, and egg into large bowl and beat with electric mixer on high speed until thick and pale, about 3 minutes.
• Add butter and continue to beat on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes more.
• Using your fingers, work flour mixture until dough is just combined. Don’t worry, it’s so supposed to be super sticky on your hands. Oh well, you’ll just have to lick it off.
• Divide dough in half and roll each half into a 9″ log. Wrap each log in parchment paper, twisting ends tightly to make a uniform cylinder.
• Freeze dough logs for at least 3 hours, and as long as overnight
• Preheat over to 350º. Unwrap dough and slice each log into 1/3″ thick rounds.
• Place rounds 1/2″ apart on parchment paper-lined (or silicon liner) cookie sheets.
• Bake cookies until slightly puffed and tiny cracks appear on surface, about 8-9 minutes.
• Transfer immediately to cooling rack, being careful not to crack cookies.
• Enjoy little bites of spicy chocolate heaven.

Thanks, Rok, for this super tasty recipe!

Entry Filed under: cookies,desserts,experimental recipes,food and friends