Spicy Chocolate Cookies

This awesome cookie recipe is adapted from the OatmealCookie Blog's recipe called Hot(ter) Chocolate cookies. The main change I made was to substitute whole spelt flour for the finely ground oatmeal and white spelt for the all-purpose flour. You could do the same thing with whole wheat and white whole wheat flour, as well. Another change I made was to sprinkle some more grated milk chocolate on top of the cookies while they are cooling. This gives them a little melted chocolate flavor that goes well with this chewy cookie. These cookies have an awesome chocolate flavor, enhanced by lots of cinnamon and a little...cayenne pepper! Don't worry, these won't make steam come out of your ears or require extra applications of deodorant...but they might require sharing so you don't eat them all!

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(I halved the recipe, which originally makes 4 dozen.)

Spicy Chocolate Cookies

makes 2 dozen cookies

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Creamables:

1 stick butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/8 cup cocoa powder

1 tablespoon cinnamon

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Wet Ingredients:

1 egg

3/4 tsp cinnamon (extract if you have it; I just added more ground cinnamon)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

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Dry Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups whole spelt flour (or whole wheat)

1/2 cup finely ground graham crackers

3/4 cup white spelt flour (or white whole wheat)

1/3-1/2 cup cinnamon chips

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1.25 ounces milk chocolate, grated finely; make extra for sprinkling after baking

.5 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, grated finely

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

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Topping: turbinado sugar

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Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables; the butter, sugars, cocoa powder, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the wet ingredients and add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.

Preheat oven to 350*F. Shape dough into balls -- about 2 tablespoons each. Roll each ball in turbinado sugar. Place sugared balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350* for 10-12 minutes or until edges of cookies spring back to the touch. Remove cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes, then place cookies on wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy!