Okay, people. I had a lot of fun forcing all my friends to read my blog. I got lots of views and the people who tried my Peanut-Chocolate Chip Cookies loved them. I’ll admit, I got a little cocky. I was ready to make a gazillion more.

So today I decided to make Mexican Hot-Chocolate Cookies. They didn’t look too difficult and it was time for cocoa. Glenn Coco.

Yum, right?!

Step 1: Gather flour, sugar, eggs, softened unsalted butter, cinnamon, ground chile, coarse salt, cream of tartar, baking soda, cocoa powder.

I already have a problem. This is way more ingredients than the last recipe. I have a bigger potential to screw this up. What is cream of tartar? Also, I used chile powder even though the recipe said to use “ground chile, such as arbol, chipotle, or ancho.” Don’t know what arbol and ancho are and I didn’t find chipotle, so…well, I could ruin this.

Oh, and see the butter? I got cocoa powder all over the counter and the butter. Good thing it’s getting mixed in, right?

This damn “coarse salt” was a pain in the ass to open! I tried my thumb, then the end of the measuring spoon, and finally the end of a regular spoon before the thing cracked! That Morton Salt girl is a little bitch! I’m writing a letter.

Step 2: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Easy enough.
(Action shot. You like that?)

Step 3: Beat butter and sugar with the mixer until “pale and fluffy”

Okay, I don’t know what “fluffy” means. It felt pretty dense. I mean, it’s butter.

Step 4: Gradually add flour mixture. I added the guard here. Didn’t want flour exploding all over the kitchen. It did kind of get everywhere, but there were no flour clouds. 

(There’s my cat. Hi, Xander!)

I was supposed to beat until combined. It looked and felt like fudge. I was sure I messed something up.

Step 5: Combine sugar, cinnamon, and chile. Make heaping tablespoon-sized balls and roll in the mix. 

There’s that fucking measurement again! “Heaping tablespoon”

Step 6: On parchment-lined cookie sheets, place 3 inches apart. 

1. I bought parchment. Are you proud?
2. WTF? This does not fit. I had to cut it and it still curled.
2b. I still had some hanging over the sides and it touched the oven walls. I feared it’d catch fire, so, I pulled it out and trimmed again.
3. What the hell, Martha? 3 inches apart? I got 6 on a pan and I’m not sure they were 3 inches apart. I’m not getting out a ruler.

I decided to try one with the Silpat to see the difference.

Here we go:

Ugh! The first batch got dark around the edges and bottom!

Pop goes my ego. Well, I guess I needed this. I’m still a beginner.
For the record, they’re a little crispy on the edges, but soft in the middle and damn tasty!

OFFICIAL TASTE TEST!

Sam: “Pretty tasty. It would have been better if I hadn’t still been dry heaving from watching them cut up that dead body [on The Walking Dead].”

Dustin: “Really good! Tastes like Mexican Hot Chocolate!”

Me: “YUM”

I couldn’t taste the pepper, though. Martha said, “It’s the addition of ground chile that lends it its name, and moves it into the adult cookie jar.” I’ll have to get other opinions and see if they can taste it.

I reduced the baking time to 8 minutes for the next batches and they didn’t get dark like the first. The Silpat seemed to help, but since I reduced the baking time, I can’t really say if it was better than the parchment.

Step 7: Look really sexy with some cookies. 

I’m going to mark this as a success, but give myself 8 out of 10.

They sparkle!

Link to original recipe

If you check this out, there’s a video and they DO NOT place the cookies 3 inches apart! I do like Martha’s clear Kitchenaid bowl. If I ever decide to do a video (what a hot mess that will be!), I want that bowl!

Yields: 36
I got: 30

What did I learn?

• My “heaping tablespoon” is a little generous. I need a cookie scoop! MOM!
• “About 10 minutes” means I should probably do 8 and check it

What do I need to learn?

• Difference in effect when using parchment vs. Silpat