Cookies.

Just the mere mention of the word makes my heart jump for joy.

I love cookies. You can have your cake, your cake pops, and your little fancy cupcakes. Just give me two cookies, and I’m a happy camper.

There are so many cookie recipes out there, and I’ve baked more than my share of them, but I wasn’t about to tell you about the luciousness of a cookie, without a photo. That’s just plain mean.
And, of course, now I *must* bake…. gee. darn. rats.

Chocolate.

To many, chocolate truly is what makes the world go round. Or at least, when taken in proper doses, it keeps the grumpiness away. It has even become common knowledge that dark chocolate has health benefits: Take a look at this article from WebMD.
We also learned this past March that those of us who are regular chocolate eaters generally have a lower BMI. Of course, they’re referring to dark chocolate, which is my favorite, so obviously, those researchers were brilliant. I’m guessing that with another year or two of research and chocolate will become part of the essential food pyramid. (Which it is already, in my mind)

Cayenne.

Another ingredient that has health benefits is…. Cayenne Pepper. Bet you weren’t expecting that one! However, a lovely dark chocolate is quite the yin to the cayenne’s yang.

So, for happiness and health’s sake, you’ll need to try these cookies. 😉

Chocolate Embers
I’ve named these cookies “Chocolate Embers” because you will still have that perfect warm glow of a flavor after your cookie is gone. They have a smooth fudge flavor, with a soft, cakey texture. A perfect accompaniment to coffee or milk.
*makes 2 dozen, if  you actually make them all into cookies. For raw cookie dough eaters, it will make about 20. And you’ll need more milk to wash it down.

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate (2 squares)
2 c. AP flour (all-purpose)
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
¼ c. milk
1 egg
¾ tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. cinnamon
1½ Tbsp. sugar
¾ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Prepare:
Chop unsweetened chocolate into fine pieces, and microwave it in a small bowl, on a low power level for 4 minutes, checking after each minute. Stir till smooth, and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Mix it up:
Cream butter and sugar till smooth. Add vanilla and milk, mix well. Add egg and blend till just incorporated.

Add the melted unsweetened chocolate and mix well. Add ⅓ of the flour combo and mix till just blended. Add another ⅓, mix, and the last ⅓ and mix well.

The Plot Thickens:
Sprinkle the cayenne and cinnamon over the dough and mix well. (you really don’t want it all in one cookie, do you?)

Scoop:
Scoop the dough with a #40 sized scoop (leveled) onto ungreased cookie sheets. I usually put 10-11 cookies per sheet.

Sprinkle:
Sprinkle a small amount of sugar over the top of each cookie ball. Once you’ve topped each one, tip the sheet to remove all loose sugar (this will make clean-up much easier!)

Heat it up:
Bake the first sheet for 14 minutes, and remove from oven. Wait a couple of minutes before the second sheet, so the oven can get back up to 350°.

Patience:
Once cookies are out of the oven, set the sheet on your stove top and let sit for 3-4 minutes to set up. Transfer cookies to rack to complete their cooling time.

Finish:
Melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small bowl, and microwave on low-medium heat for a few minutes, checking and stirring after each minute. Once they are completely melted and easily stirred, use a butter knife to draw chocolate drizzle lines onto the tops of the cookies.

Your Reward Awaits:
Congratulate yourself for a job well done. Enjoy!
So what do you think? Intrigued, perhaps? Please leave me a message in the comments section.

A Final Thought:

As I was developing this recipe, my dear cousin Cyndie came to mind, as she loves all things spicy. Enjoy cousin!

Yes, you have my permission to use this recipe in your blogs, as long as you provide a link directly to this page, and give the credit of the recipe and photos to SockmonkeysKitchen.com. Thanks!