Mexican Chocolate Cookies

Last year, a cookie exchange was scheduled for December 12, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  In Her honor, I made Mexican Chocolate Cookies from Cooking Light Magazine.  They were a hit and since this year's cookie exchange is today, the Feast of St. Juan Diego, I've decided to make them again.

Here is the recipe, courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine:

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE COOKIES

These cookies--bittersweet chocolate that mellows the ground peppers' heat--earned our Test Kitchens' highest rating. They're lovely after dinner with a few last sips of red wine.



Yield: 32 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients

5 ounces bittersweet (60 to 70 percent) chocolate, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/3 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash of black pepper

Dash of ground red pepper

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Place chocolate in a small glass bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until almost melted, stirring until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through red pepper); stir with a whisk.
Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg; beat well. Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; beat just until blended. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Drop dough by level tablespoons 2 inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until almost set. Remove from oven. Cool on pans 2 minutes or until set. Remove from pans; cool completely on a wire rack.


Nutritional Information

Calories:80 (33% from fat)

Fat:2.9g (sat 1.7g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.1g)

Protein:0.7g

Carbohydrate:12.8g

Fiber:0.1g

Cholesterol:10mg

Iron:0.2mg

Sodium:35mg

Calcium:4mg