Here it is: our last post before Christmas. And I'm thrilled to share one of my favorite cookies. Think double chocolate chip crinkle cookie meets a spicy combination of pepper, cinnamon, and ginger. Then realize you can make as many or as few as you'd like at a time and, given about 15 minutes, you could have warm, gooey cookies just about any time you want. Did I just give you your Christmas wish?
In addition to being all of the above, these cookies also mix together super quickly, thanks to using a box of cake mix as the foundation. If you like your sweets on the spicier side, you can opt for ground cayenne instead of the black pepper. I call for black pepper to keep them mellow enough to serve widely, but tweak to your tastes, my friends.
Now, if you are a household that expects a visit from Santa tomorrow night, might I recommend baking a few of these before going to bed and leaving a plate of warm cookies and a little red wine for Santa? After all, 2020 has been a difficult year for all of us and I imagine the man in the red suit would be particularly grateful for this respite. I know I would! Merry Christmas and Seasoned Greetings!
Mexican-Spiced Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- 1 box Devil's Food cake mix
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ⅔ c. canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 c. chocolate chips
- ¼ c. granulated sugar mixed with a pinch of powdered ginger
If baking immediately, preheat the oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, cinnamon, and black pepper. Add the canola oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the cake mix mixture. Begin stirring until a dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly dispersed in the cookie dough.
Shape the dough into one-inch balls and roll them gently in the sugar-ginger mixture. If you want to freeze them for later, arrange them on a cookie sheet or plastic tray and freeze them until solid. Pop the dough balls into a resealable plastic bag and label it with the name of the cookies along with basic instructions - bake at 350° F for 12-14 minutes.
If you want to bake them right away, arrange them on cookie sheets and bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes or until set. They will be fairly cakey, but should not fall apart. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before removing them to a wire rack to cool.
- Yields: 3 dozen cookies
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes