Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies

Spicy, Chocolate, and Cookies all in one SIGN ME UP!!!!

I recently got this recipe from Master baker Maida Heatter’s Book of Great Chocolate Desserts.  The original cookie recipe is from Maida’s friend from Guatemala. The great thing about icebox cookies is that you can always prepare them and leave them in the freezer until needed.  Saving time while baking is one of the best things .

These deep chocolate, crispy cookies are a great addition in to your typical cookie tray. They literally spice up the party. The great thing about these Mexican cookies is the heat from the warm spices doesn’t hit until after you swallow. The taste buds kick in in overtime and you really get a nice sensation in your mouth, just enough spice to make you want more . By all means you can lower the amount of spice, but thats not fun.

Icebox Cookies simply mean, its a type of cookie where the dough is formed and chilled before being sliced and baked. 

theIngredients 
1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour 

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt 

Generous pinch of finely ground black pepper 

Generous pinch of cayenne

3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

1 1/2 ( 6ozs) sticks of butter (room tempearture)

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg (room temparture)

1 cup granulated sugar
Directions 

Sift together flour, cocoa, salt,!pepper, cayenne,and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the lage bowl of the electric mixer cream the butter. Add the vanilla and sugar, mix throughly. Beat in the egg, then on low speed gradually add the sifted dry ingredients  scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only until mixed. Toward the end of the mixing , if the dough starts to crawl up the beater, remove the bowl mixer and finish mixing by hand I prefer using a wooden spoon for this part.

Lightly flour work surface. Turn the dough out to space, lightly flour hands and with your hands, shape the dough into a cylinder about 10 incges long and about 2inches in diameter. Wrap the cylinder of dough in wax paper and place in the freezer until firm. It can also be kept frozen until you’re ready to bake. Before baking adjust two racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat to 375 degrees.

Unwrap the dough and with a sharp knife cut into slcies 1/4 thick. place the slices about 2inches apart on ungreased baking pans. Bake 10-11 minutes, reversing the pans top to bottom and front to bake once during baking. The cookies are done when they feel almost firm to touch. let them cool for a few seconds on the pans, remove and transfer to racks to cool, store airtight. Makes 30-40 

Enjoy 

Zucchini Peanut Butter Brownies

8 ounces zucchini cut in halves
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven 350. Grease brownie pan. Line with foil grease again. 9×9 or 8×8 set aside 

1/2 cup tirbinato sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all purpose flour
12oz of peanut butter
1 unsweetened raw cocoa bar chopped roughly

Shredded zucchini

Ok with your food processor slicing shredder blade start to add zucchini. After shereded take off blade. Add melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Puree on smooth. Once smooth, add  all ingedients below except peanut butter and raw chopped cocoa. Puree until just combined. Add 3 tablespoons peanut butter,pulse. Add chopped raw cocoa bar, blend to break up more. Pour into the greased pan. (It will be more liquidified then batter style). Bake 40 minutes. Rotate pan half way through. Check with toothpick to see if baked through if it comes out wet its not ready.

Let cool in pan 10 minutes then either remove or cut into squares. Cool competely on rack.
once cooled,slice the bars lenghtwise. 

For frozen Peanut Butter Brownies follow directions below.

Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter to the bottom of brownie place top  on and lightly press to hold. Repeat process until complete. Wrap in plastic. Place and freezer. Wait at least 30 minutes or longer before eating.
You could also do this with Ice Cream.

Rye Shortbread Cookies with Orange Zest and Sea salt

Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies