Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 t unsweetened mexican cocoa powder (if you can't find this, just add 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon to your regular cocoa powder.)
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 t light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup plus 1 t granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 generous pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 generous pinch black pepper
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche (optional)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

Recipe

• 1 mix flour, cocoa, and baking soda until well combined. set aside.
• 2 mix sugars by hand until all lumps are gone. set aside.
• 3 in a mixer or with a hand mixer, whip butter until creamy.
• 4 add sugar mixture, cinnamon, peppers, and vanilla to butter, and mix on high for one minute.
• 5 add egg and mix until smooth.
• 6 on low, add flour mixture until just combined. do not over mix.
• 7 turn dough onto a sheet of waxed paper. gently form a log about 10 inches long, roll in waxed paper, and chill in the fridge until needed (or at least 45 minutes).
• 8 place oven racks in upper and lower third of the oven. preheat oven to 350.
• 9 line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
• 10 slice cookies into 1/4 inch thick rounds with a sharp knife.
• 11 place on cookie sheet about an inch apart.
• 12 place cookies on lower rack and let them cook for 5 minutes.
• 13 move cookies to the top rack and turn the pan so that cookies that were facing the front are now facing the back. cook another 5-6 minutes.
• 14 remove from the oven and let cool on a cookie rack.
• 15 once the cookies cool, top them with a thin layer of duche de leche and sprinkle with sliced or slivered almonds.