Ingredients (~36 cookies)
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Start with 1 tsp of cayenne if you’re not sure about the heat level – you can always add more to the next batch.
Cream Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy; this takes ~3-4 minutes with an electric mixer.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined – don’t overmix or the cookies get tough.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
The dough will be pretty thick and chocolatey.
Chill the Dough
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
This step is important – the dough is easier to handle when cold and the cookies hold their shape better.
Bake the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared sheets, spacing them ~2 inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes – the edges should be set but the centers still look slightly soft.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for ~5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
The cayenne heat builds as you eat them, so warn people if they’re not expecting the kick.
Chocolate Cayenne Cookies
Ingredients
Ingredients (~36 cookies)
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.
- Beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla extract.
- Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart on sheets.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are set but centers look soft.
- Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.