Cinco de Mayo is this coming Monday, and I must admit that it just won't be the same since we are not in Texas anymore. Texans know how to celebrate CDM, and the feasts to be had in Dallas can't be beat. My favorite Mexican desserts always involve Mexican chocolate - in years past, I've made Mexican Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake, Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake with Dulce de Leche, and had Churros with Mexican Chocolate Sauce. Forget the Tres Leches Cake - bring me some chocolate!
For those of you who may not be familiar with Mexican chocolate, it's usually sold in a powdered form that is made to dissolve easily into milk. It is unique because of the addition of cinnamon to the chocolate, and some Mexican chocolate dishes have heat added to them with various types of dried chile powders. Now you may know that chocolate (particularly pure cacoa) has some health benefits from the antioxidants it contains. Add healthy spices such as cinnamon and capsaicin-containing chile powder and you've got a match made in heaven!
The recipe I'm sharing with you today is the ultimate cure for any chocolate craving. I've been making it for several years now and it never ceases to satisfy. These cookies are crisp on the outside, but have a rich, fudgy interior. Try them with a glass of milk, an espresso, or a scoop of cinnamon ice cream! The original recipe is from Cooking Light, although I've adapted it in a few variations over the years.
Recipe Notes:
- You can easily make this vegan by substituting coconut oil for the butter and coconut yogurt for the plain yogurt.
- This recipe has so much chocolate that it lends itself well to flour substitutions. I use white whole wheat flour; but if you need to make it gluten-free, I'd suggest almond or chickpea flour.
- I've reduced the sugar from the original Cooking Light recipe by ⅓, which means you can enjoy 2 cookies with no guilt!
- This is my Mexican Chocolate version, which involves rolling the cookies in coarse turbinado sugar and cinnamon for a spicy, crunchy top.
Recipe
Mexican Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 7 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Cinnamon sugar coating
- 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon this type has a better flavor
- ¼ cup turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, soda, and salt; set aside.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in cocoa powder and sugars with a whisk (mixture will resemble wet sand). Add yogurt and vanilla, stirring to combine. Add flour mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until moist.
- Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Roll cookie dough into tablespoon-size balls and then roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place them on a cookie sheet and slightly press them down with your hands.
- Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until almost set. Do not overbake! Cool on pans 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.
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