Perfect any time of year, but super perfect on your Christmas cookie tray, these Mexican Chocolate Cookies are an easy, sweet, and just slightly spicy slice-and-bake shortbread recipe.
Shortbread cookies are my favorite kind of cookies to make.
I love their smooth, rich, buttery flavor. I also adore their versatility — they’re a blank slate for any flavor you love. I love these bright lemon poppy seed cream cheese shortbread cookies, and these peppermint shortbread cookies are perfect for Christmas.
About these Mexican Chocolate Cookies
- Easy: Slice and bake shortbread cookies are about as easy as they come!
- Great to make ahead: I tend to make Christmas cookies pretty far in advance, giving me time to share them here with you, so then I have two choices. The first is the freezer. The second is to eat all the cookies and make more for Christmas. Shortbread freezes like a dream. I’ve frozen the dough for all the cookies I linked to in that link-heavy section up there. You can freeze the dough or the finished cookies. I love freezing the dough because then I can grab it when I need it, slice it, and bake. Fresh cookies, quick and easy!
- Great flavor: These Mexican chocolate cookies are rich and chocolatey with a subtle touch of spice: cinnamon, nutmeg and cayenne. However, the cookies are by no means “hot” spicy; they just give a little tingle on the tongue that will have everyone asking for the recipe. The extra sprinkle of cayenne on top is completely optional, and that definitely adds an additional layer of heat.
More Shortbread Cookies
- Gingerbread shortbread cookies (with a fun add-in)
- Honey lemon shortbread cookies
More Mexican Chocolate
These cookies remind me of my favorite flourless cake, Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake, with cinnamon, vanilla, and chipotle. The combination of sweet with spicy in a chocolate dessert is something you have to try if you haven’t had the experience yet.
Recipe
Mexican Chocolate Shortbread Cookies – Chocolate Dipped
Perfect any time of year, but super perfect on your Christmas cookie tray, these Mexican Chocolate Cookies are an easy sweet, and just slightly spicy, slice-and-bake shortbread recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (plus extra for sprinkling on top, optional)
- 2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cayenne. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Gradually add flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Dough will be thick.
- On wax paper or parchment paper, form into a 12- to 14-inch log and freeze at least 30 minutes or until firm.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Using a sharp knife, cut the shortbread dough into 1/4-inch slices, and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
- Cool for 5 minutes, remove from baking sheet onto cooling rack. Let cool completely.
- Place a heat-safe bowl (I recommend glass!) on top of a pan with an inch or two of water in it. Place chocolate chips in bowl. Heat on stove over medium heat, stirring chocolate until melted. Dip cookies in chocolate and return to a parchment paper lined baking sheet to harden. If desired, sprinkle with more cayenne before chocolate has set.
- When chocolate has hardened, store in a tightly covered container.
Notes
- If you freeze the dough for longer than 30 minutes, you may have to let it set out at room temperature for 30 minutes or so to achieve uniform slices.
- Yield of this recipe will depend on how thickly you slice the cookies.
- Instead of dipping the cookies into dark chocolate, try dipping them into melted white chocolate, and sprinkling with red or green sugar, for a more festive appearance.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 132kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 47mg, Potassium: 71mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 196IU, Vitamin C: 0.05mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
I LOVE the spice in these cookies! Brilliant!
So much chocolate! This looks wonderful!
Ooohhh….cayenne powder…I bet I would LOVE these!!!
I love the idea of spicy chocolate chocolate cookies. Must try!
May I ask, how mnay grams or tbsp are 2 sticks for butter?
2 sticks of butter = 16 tablespoons
I vote for more coffee and 2 more cookies ;) That should do the trick! I love these Rachel
I’m curious about the spicy part. I love cayenne but have never put it in my cookies! Neat idea!
It’s a great combo! I hope you try it!
I love anything and everything with cocoa powder!
Amen sista!
these sound amazing! starting to think about what christmas cookies i want to make this season, and these sound like the perfect combo of delicious and stable (they won’t crumble in the mail!).
I hope you love them!
I luv shortbread!! have some mex. choc. will make these. do you freeze the dough to save or freeze the baked cookies??? I like to bake ahead too.
I’ve done both!