Maya Galletas de Chocolate

I know a day (well, 2) late and a dollar short. Cinco de Mayo was 2 days ago. Sigh. But look at those chocolatey beauties … surely, I can be forgiven! And, trust me, they are delicious, chocolate, slightly sweet, with just ‘un poco calor’ at the end.

I do have a perfectly good excuse. For Cinco de Mayo I made Arroz con Frijoles Negro so I could participate in the Holiday Recipe Club. If you don’t belong, you should check it out!

These may be overdue for the FIESTA, but they are totally worth the effort!

Below is the full recipe. I made half a batch. Wasn’t sure how the addition of some heat to the cookies would work for the folks I lovingly bake for.

• 3/4 C vegetable shortening
• 4 oz unsalted butter, room temp
• 3/4 C granulated sugar
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 1 3/4 C flour (7.8 oz)
• 3/8 t salt
• 1 ¼ C natural cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon
• 2 t baking soda
• ¼ t ground pepper
• 1/8 t cayenne
• 6 oz finely chopped dark bittersweet chocolate (70% Lindt Intense Dark)
• Mixture of ½ cup granulated & 1 teaspoon cinnamon for rolling

FOR A HALF BATCH

• 1/4 C + 2 T vegetable shortening
• 2 oz unsalted butter, room temp
• 1/4 C + 2 T granulated sugar
• 1/4 C + 2 T brown sugar
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1 large eggs
• 3/4 C + 2 T flour
• 1/8 t salt
• 1/2 C + 2 T natural cocoa powder
• 3/4 t cinnamon
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/8 t ground pepper
• 1/16 t cayenne
• 3 oz finely chopped dark bittersweet chocolate
• Mixture of 1/4 C granulated & 1/2 t cinnamon for rolling

NOTE: OMG is it a LEAP of faith halving a baking recipe! I was terrified – especially the cayenne. Really, no one has a 1/16 measuring spoon, I eye-balled half of 1/8 t and it was fine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream shortening and butter in a large bowl with high speed of electric mixer. Beat in the brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat until creamy (about 2 minutes). Beat in vanilla and eggs; beat only until they are mixed.

Stir together flour, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ground pepper and cayenne. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until it’s almost well mixed. Add the chocolate chips and stir until well mixed.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls, roll in a mixture of cinnamon sugar.

Arrange on parchment paper lined sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 7 minutes, then remove from cookie sheets and place on a rack to cool.

Makes about 5 dozen for the full recipe and 2 1/2 dozen for the half batch.

NOTE: Let them cool on the sheets, otherwise they fall apart and you have to eat your mistakes! If there are any left over, the cayenne intensifies ever so slightly the next day. These really are fabulous!