Mexican Chocolate-cherry Rounds

Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 60 candied cherries, halves

Recipe

• 1 stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until smooth; cool.
• 2 combine flour and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl.
• 3 using electric mixer, beat 1 3/4 cups sugar and butter in large bowl until light.
• 4 beat in eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla and chocolate.
• 5 gradually add dry ingredients, beating just until combined.
• 6 chill dough until firm, about 2 hours.
• 7 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 8 lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.
• 9 place powdered sugar in shallow pan.
• 10 form dough into 1-inch balls.
• 11 roll each ball in sugar to coat; shake off excess sugar.
• 12 arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart.
• 13 press 1 cherry half into center of each cookie.
• 14 bake until cookies puff and crack but are still soft, about 10 minutes.
• 15 transfer cookies to rack and cool completely.
• 16 (cookies can be prepared ahead. store in airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 1 month.).