Chocolate Chunk & Ghost Pepper Cookies!

[RisaG]

I pulled a recipe off the internet in January for a chocolate and chile cookie that used cayenne powder. Today, I had a big urge for cookies and we had none in the house. I pulled out the recipe, realized I had no website or blog name on it (which is strange because it usually prints on the bottom of every page I print out from the computer). I had no idea who to thank for this great recipe.

I adapted it a bit - I used organic sugar, 3/4 flour and 1/4 white whole wheat flour, and instead of cayenne I used 1/2 tsp of the ghost pepper powder I had from Jeff Porter! I grinded it up a tiny bit more to make it finer so it would go through the batter more and more of the cookies would taste like it. I used 1/2 tsp because I figured it was one of the hottest peppers in the world and I didn't want to blow my sinuses (I used the word on purpose! lol) as I ate them. This, afterall, was a tester batch. I have tasted 2 now and I think I should have used a whole teaspoon.

Anyway, these came out so good. The recipe said it made 20 cookies but I think it was a typo as it said to measure the dough out by teaspoon, not tablespoon. It made closer to 60 cookies - small and yummy.

I will make these again. I love these cookies. So nice and chocolatey with just a slight bite from the ghost pepper.

Dark Chocolate & Ghost Pepper Cookies

1 cup dutch process cocoa powder

1-3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 sticks unsalted butter – softened

1.5 cups organic sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp ghost pepper powder (or any chile powder as long as it is pure)

1 cup chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl fitted with a beater, cream the butter with the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each one. Add the vanilla and beat for 10 seconds.

In a separate bowl, combine the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, ghost pepper and cinnamon.

Pour 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, beating after each addition. Repeat until all flour mixture is added.

Add the chocolate chunks and mix for 30 seconds. Let the batter sit in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Place a silpat liner OR parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets.

Using a teaspoon, spoon the batter onto the cookie sheets, 9 each sheet pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes and then place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Risa’s notes:

Original recipe called for cayenne pepper – 1 tsp. I used 1/2 tsp ghost pepper powder as it is the spiciest chile in the world. You can definitely feel it. If you like things much milder, than use cayenne and only use 1/2 tsp. If you like things spicy, then add a bit more to your liking.

Original recipe says it makes 20 cookies, which is impossible if you measure it out by teaspoon. I think it was a typo and should be measuring by tablespoons. If you do that, you will probably get more like 30 cookies. If you want smaller cookies, and more of them, then do what I did. If you want less cookies than make them larger.

Yield: 55-60 cookies

Source: unknown internet site

Posted by RisaG 3/2/12

 

RisaG