It’s Christmas cookie time! Every year I make at least one type of Christmas cookie. It’s a fun tradition and they make an easy, super inexpensive gift (who doesn’t like cookies?!). This year I made these awesome Chocolate Cayenne Crinkles that have all the spicy cocoa flavor of my favorite Aztec Cocoa in a light, chewy cookie.
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I saw these Flourless Chocolate Cookies on Cooking Classy and immediately wanted to make them. There are only a few simple ingredients and they looked a lot like the delicate and delicious shell of a macaron. I love how the exterior of a macaron is shiny and thin, but the inside is kind of dense and chewy. That’s exactly how this entire cookie is. YUM!
I wanted to put my own spin on the Flourless Chocolate Cookie, so I decided to add some cayenne pepper. Cayenne and cocoa is an age old duo and one that I can’t get enough of. You can leave the cayenne out and do a plain chocolate cookie, if you desire, or try replacing some of the vanilla extract with peppermint extract for a sort of mint hot cocoa effect. Cinnamon could also work (a chocolatey alternative to snickerdoodles, maybe?) You could even top them with crushed candy canes. Fun, right?
YAY, Christmas cookies!
Chocolate Cayenne Crinkles
Servings 20 cookiesIngredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar ($0.54)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ($0.48)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.04)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.05)
- 2 large egg whites ($0.42)
- 1 large whole egg ($0.21)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ($0.28)
- 1 cup chocolate chips ($0.91)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and cayenne pepper until evenly combined.
- Add the egg whites, whole egg, and vanilla extract to the powdered sugar mixture. Carefully stir the mixture until all of the powdered sugar has dissolved into the eggs and a very thick batter forms. It may seem like there is not enough moisture to stir in all the powdered sugar, but keep stirring and it will eventually melt in. The mixture will be very thick and stiff, so use a strong spoon. Add the chocolate chips and stir until incorporated.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the batter, one heaping tablespoon at a time, onto the baking sheets. Be sure to leave a couple inches between each cookie because they will spread. (I suggest ten cookies per sheet.)
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 14 minutes or until the cookies are puffed and cracked over the surface. Allow the cookies to cool before removing from the parchment.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Chocolate Cayenne Crinkles – Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a LARGE bowl, combine 3 cups powdered sugar, 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. If you’re scared of the spiciness, start with 1/4 tsp cayenne. Make sure the dry ingredients are very well mixed. Hint: use a bowl with steep sides, or you’ll get powdered sugar everywhere.
Add two large egg whites, one whole egg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Begin to carefully stir these into the powdered sugar mixture. You can use a whisk at first, but it will soon get too thick and you’ll need to switch to a spoon.
As you stir the eggs and vanilla into the powdered sugar it will seem like there’s not enough moisture to make it work (I went back and checked the recipe THREE times to make sure…), but just keep stirring and eventually all of the powdered sugar will melt into it. The batter becomes very thick and stiff.
Stir in one cup of chocolate chips. I happened to have some leftover mini-chocolate chips, so I used those.
Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the batter onto the sheets in heaping tablespoons, about ten per sheet. Leave a couple of inches between each cookie for them to spread while baking.
Bake one sheet at a time for 14 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed up and cracked along the top (they deflate upon cooling). Let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the parchment.
Enjoy the warm chocolatey goodness and the sassy kick of cayenne!
Trying to use up leftover candy canes from the holidays. Would you sprinkle crushed candy canes on cookies before or just after baking? Or would it not work with this recipe?
I’ve made this recipe many times. They usually come out great, just like the pictures. But the last few times I’ve had the runny batter problem, despite VERY careful measurements. What’s going on? Are large eggs larger than they used to be? I see other people have had this problem as well. (They taste ok but are thinner and they don’t all “crinkle” properly, though some do. They are also quite sticky; I can’t remember if they were that way when they came out correctly too.)
I’m unsure what the problem could be (re: runny batter), as the recipe has been tested many many times and have not had that issue. As far as crinkling goes, make sure your oven is up to temp by using an oven thermometer. XOXO -Monti
I just ran into the same thing! As you note, I followed the exact same recipe, years ago, but the batter was way runnier this time.
That is really, really strange, y’all! Thanks for letting us know. The batter shouldn’t be runny at all. As you’ve said, you made it before, and know that! It could definitely be the eggs…especially if you aren’t buying the same brand you used to buy. (No shame, I’m not either!) Generally, watery eggs are a sign that they are older, haven’t been stored at the correct temperature, or are a lower “grade.” Your favorite brand could also be trying to compensate for the shortage by purchasing eggs from unusual suppliers, too. If you think they might be larger (which would totally change the outcome of the recipe!), you can find the average weight of an egg online and do an experiment with a kitchen scale — if you have one! (While not a necessity for a home baker, they’re often used in professional baking for just this reason — to easily measure out ingredients precisely so the recipes turn out the same way each time, and as a safeguard against slight variations in ingredients.) I’ll also give this recipe a try this weekend and see what I can find out! ~ Marion :)
In the meantime…here are some of our best egg-free dessert recipes: https://www.budgetbytes.com/egg-free-recipes/
My batch did not turn out thin at all! I tripled the batch and included an additional whole egg and egg white since I was using small eggs. Before adding the extra eggs the batter was too hard. In the end the batter was very thick and kind of messy when transferring to the baking sheet. I added a couple of more minutes to the baking time since I made my cookies on the larger size. They turned out great! Crispy outside with a dense, fudgy center. I used cayenne, cinnamon, and dark chocolate morsels. Perfect flavor for Christmas!
Oh my sweet holy Lord. These cookies though. They didn’t turn out as pretty as the pictures (mine never do) but they’re unbelievably tasty.
I weigh my ingredients when baking, so 360 g powdered sugar and 60 g cocoa. I’m guessing the last commenter just has a measurement issue, because mine turned out well. I used a cookie scoop since the batter is runny.
This recipe was pretty awful, which is a shame as I love at least a dozen others I’ve tried of yours.
Mixture was like chocolate soup at first; super watery. Kept adding more dry ingredients, no real improvement.
Eventually got it thick enough to consider a cookie, came out like nasty, dry chocolate cakes.
UK, so perhaps ingredients are just too different.
For the record: Love many of your other recipes. This one was just a complete miss for us.
Hi Beth,
You may no longer be checking the comments on this (amazing) recipe, but just in case: I’m planning to make these for a group that includes someone who’s vegan. Do you or other commenters have any tips for replacing the eggs in this recipe? I’ve never used vegan egg replacers and am especially wondering about yolk vs whites. Thank you!! And thanks for this recipe – have made it many times and always to rave reviews!
Hi Rebecca! We’re always checking reader input! As for a vegan egg substitute there are a lot of options, I would suggest the flax seed route. To substitute, blend 1 tablespoon of flax or chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water until the mixture is thick and creamy for each egg. This is a great post on other swaps you can make with what you have on hand in your pantry.
So I used regular large eggs (not x-large) and the batter was so thin that it was pretty much liquid. I tried it anyways and the way it baked was hilariously terrible and like one giant pancake cookies. I even refrigerated the dough and 20 minutes to see if it would stiffen up but it never did. Any reason you could think that the batter was that thin? I mean, should I just cut down on the eggs?
Yeah, something isn’t right there. The batter should be so thick that it’s hard to stir. I would double check all your measurements and the measuring cups you used. It can be really easy to accidentally mis-measure something.
These are fantastic! Take a bit longer to make full batch due to cooling out of oven on sheet but I don’t mind.
So delicious and very easy
I’ve made these cookies twice now. The first time all I changed was adding cinnamon for a Mexican flare. The second time I divided the batch in quarters. One was just plain chocolate, no cayenne, no cinnamon. One I added crushed candy canes, One I added instant coffee and the final batch, which I haven’t seen anyone post, I substituted peanut butter chips for the chocolate chips. OMG!!! SO GOOD!!! As for the baking cocoa, if you have an Aldi’s near you, it’s pretty cheap there. A couple of bucks as I recall. :) Thanks for all of your great recipes, I use several each week. :)
Delicious! Beth LOVES Aldi!
Which variation was your favourite? :-D
I have family in Maryland where Old Bay gets added to everything… even chocolate. So, naturally, I subbed your cayenne for Old Bay and these turned out NEXT LEVEL. Did everything else the exact same except used 3/4tsp Old Bay and 60% cacao Ghiradelli chips. Can’t wait to experiment with these like some other commenters, especially with peppermint this time of year. Great recipe!
So interesting!! I really need to start experimenting with Old Bay Seasoning. I have to admit that I’ve never used it. 🙈
This is slowly becoming my favorite cookie recipe! I love how versatile it is. I definitely recommend following another comment’s advice to up the cayenne to 3/4 tsp and add 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Peppermint extract is wonderful too, but my favorite add-ins have been espresso powder and cardamom. I also prefer using dark chocolate cocoa powder and chips for a really deep and rich chocolate flavor. No matter the flavor, these cookies get rave reviews wherever I take them! Thanks for another winner!
Thank you Lauren for sharing these cookies and your ideas for variation with me!!
Victoria
I made these tonight and it will be one of my go to cookie recipies! Since going gluten free I’ve not baked as much but I’m glad I saw this post. I made a few different flavors but the cayenne was still the best.
I make these every year for Christmas since I’ve found this post. They are AMAZING! I keep everything exactly how you wrote it out.
Can they be frozen?
Hmm, probably, although I’ve never tried it. They’re a little bit like merengues in texture and I know you can freeze merengue.
Any idea what volume of egg whites I can use if I already have a big cup of egg whites separated after using the yolks for another recipe?
I Googled it and it looks like most people say one large egg white = 2 Tbsp, so you’d want to use 1/4 cup egg white plus the whole egg for this. I haven’t tried this, though, so I can’t verify. ;)
Perfect way to use the egg whites left from two batches of “pumpkin spice snickerdoodles.” :) You say you don’t enjoy cooking desserts much but the recipes you do post must be pretty fool-proof because both came out looking exactly like the pictures! (I also LOVED the lemon berry cobbler.) I made them plain (no cayenne) this time but I can’t wait to try them with peppermint–my favorite! Thank you!
hi I tried this great recipe. The cookies came out tasting great but they came out very thin. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Did you use “large” sized eggs? It sounds like the moisture ratio may have been off, which can happen if extra-large eggs were used.
My first tray came out quite thin, too. When scooping out the dough for the second tray, it seemed to have thicken a bit since I mixed it, and the cookies came out a better thickness. Perhaps let your dough rest 5-10 minutes?
When letting the cookies cool did you leave the parchment paper on the cookie sheets or did you slide the parchment paper off the sheets (while cookies are still on parchment paper)?
You can do it either way, but they will cool faster if you slide the parchment off the baking sheet. Just be careful not to bend them because they’re pliable when still warm.
Oh my. How did I miss this post????
Had these tonight at a church social. I’m not a big chocolate fan and don’t even usually eat dessert but I love spicy food and so had to give them a try. The heat is subtle and creeps up on you. Three bites in and I was hooked! These are superb: slightly chewy outside, wonderfully soft inside, and with that subtle cayenne kick. I’ll be making these for sure.
Is there are substitute for cornstarch?
No, unfortunately the cornstarch is critical to achieving the correct texture in this recipe.
Just wondering if you have any cookie recipes that you freeze?
Thanks
Unfortunately I don’t make many cookies, but most cookies do freeze well!
Where on earth do you find your cocoa powder? Everything I am finding is so expensive!
In the baking aisle I can usually get a generic or even Hershey or Tollhouse cocoa powders are pretty inexpensive. Here’s a link to what the Hershey’s package looks like. I hope that helps!
I’ve made these a couple of times now, and they’re always SO tasty! I’m bringing a batch to a potluck tonight, and I decided to cut the cayenne down to a quarter teaspoon and add a half teaspoon of cinnamon, inspired by Mexican hot chocolate. WOW! The cinnamon really works!
I still can’t get over the fact that these have no gluten, too! This recipe is a real gem.
I made these for my dad for his birthday a couple weeks ago, he loved them and told me so twice…they didn’t last but a couple days. Total hit.
Followed the recipe exactly and my cookies flattened out like pancakes. Any idea what I did wrong?
Hmm, I’m not sure what’s causing that to happen for some people. I think I’d need to have it happen when I made them to try to trouble shoot it. :( Was your batter really thick? Did you double check the ingredient list to make sure you used the correct items and quantities? Sometimes I look back and realize that I totally skipped an item or used the wrong amount of something.
I have made this recipe before and the cookies came out perfectly, but I tried to make them today and got the flattened result. The cookies aren’t shiny or crackled on the top, just flat and dull. I think the reason for this is that I used “Jumbo” eggs instead of the normal “Large” size, and so the wet/dry ingredient proportions were off. Those jumbo eggs are much bigger than large eggs!
I’m going to try again with some “large” eggs, hoping that makes the difference :)
First time baking. I forgot to add the salt, but they still turned out good. Thanks
DELICIOUS! In my opinion, these taste almost exactly like the chocolate brownie cookies from Great American Cookies, minus not having nuts. They are soft and chewy, and absolutely delicious. Not to mention, they are so easy to make! I will use this recipe for many years to come.
These were great! I did freeze them and they were still delicious – no alteration in texture or anything. You may just want to microwave them about 10 seconds or let them sit out a minute before you take a bite. Taste just as good as freshly baked.
Also, if anyone lives at high altitude like me, you don’t need to make any adjustments. Bonus!
Thanks for yet another great recipe!
I read through the posts and didn’t see mention if this can be doubled or quadrupled? I want to make this for a large party and would need at least 15-20 batches.
I think it would be easy to double or triple, although I don’t know how it would work if you did more at a time than that. Try one single batch first to get a feel for the recipe. Some people had issues with the consistency of the batter and cookie.
Thank you Beth for your quick response. I did try a batch and followed the recipe. They came out great! At first I thought my cayenne was old but the next day the flavor was intensely perfect. I tested the batch on my co-workers and got a thumbs up with only one suggestion. I will make some without the heat for those allergic. I will try to triple it now that I know how they are supposed to be. Again thank you for all your wonderful recipes throughout the years.
These are delicious! I have to admit they didn’t come out as pretty as yours. Not perfectly round. I also let the first batch stay in the oven just a little too long. I was worried they didn’t have that hard outside. I just should have followed your directions. Also, I know this website is about cooking “on the cheap” but this chocolate mix would probably be amazing in this recipe. You wouldn’t need the cayenne pepper since it’s an 18th-century version full of cocoa and spices! http://www.americanheritagechocolate.com/home/goods
Our head pastry chef with Colonial Williamsburg uses the drink mix in a lot of his recipes and I have a container I plan to try next time!
You forgot to mention that these little yumsters are gluten free for folks for whom that matters. Mine were perfect and for those folks who are afraid of cayenne–the cookies only have a hint of spice. Chocolate and cayenne have a real affinity for each other. The pepper truly enhances the chocolate flavor!
These are great! My first time tasting a “spicy” cooking and the cayenne adds such a great aftertaste. So good. You definitely weren’t kidding when you said they are hard to stir. I kept checking the recipe to see if I missed something … But you were right! The powder sugar dissolves eventually. Can’t wait to try with peppermint.
These cookies are terribly addictive and were a huge hit at my in-law’s Christmas Eve party. They taste so delicious although I caution against eating more than one in a sitting. I fear it might’ve given me some heartburn tonight.
this looks sooo good! did you use semi-sweet chocolate chips?
Yep :)
I made these and none of them cracked except the very last batch! Is there a trick?
The only thing that was done differntly is the last batch sat on the tray while the oven re-heated again, as for the other batches went in the oven immediately.
But regardless of the crinkle or not they are fabulous! The crinkle just makes them pretty.
I’ve made 3 and a half batches so far, these are now my go to holiday cookie. I’ve been using mint chocolate chips instead of regular and it creates the perfect balance of mint and chocolate!
These came out great. Love the little bite.
Why the recommendation to bake the trays one at a time?
Better air flow in the oven usually yields better results. :)
I loved the cayenne ‘finish’. I found my cookies to be very dry. Did I over baked them?
Perhaps, I bet over baking would cause them to be a bit dry.
These cookies came out perfect! I signed up for a cookie exchange and usually I go all out & end up eating noodles for the rest of the week because of expenses. A great cookie recipe that won’t break the bank & is delicious!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
forgot the rating!
These cookies were delicious! My first round, I used less than 1/8 of cayenne, because my 2 and 6 yr olds wouldn’t have eaten them! Everyone loved them- so I made another batch and took them to my work Christmas party! Delicious and so easy. I only mixed by hand, using a spoonula. Thanks for another great hit!
Did you use a mixer or mix by hand? I want to make these this week and after reading the comments, I’m wondering which way is better. Thanks!
I mixed by hand. I suspect that it might be too thick/stiff for a mixer.
I grabbed the wrong eggs and used “jumbo” instead of “large” which caused the batter to run. I’m going to try again!
I was needing a major chocolate fix last night so we decided to give these a try. They are AMAZING! I left out the cayenne because my bf wasn’t wanting the pepper kick. They came out as chocolate perfection! I’m making these for Christmas baskets with a little bit of peppermint. We had them with coffee this morning and they’re just a yummy for breakfast! Thanks Beth!
Worked great and are a big hit! I would recommend though that the size spooned onto the baking sheet is a TEASPOON, not a tablespoon.
Amazing! It turned out perfect. I did however reduce the amount of cayenne by about half as I’m not big on spicy and it turned out perfect. So chocolaty with just a little kick at the end! Perfection! I can’t wait to pack up the extras to send to my friends but first they have to cool. Thanks Beth!
These turned out great and were very easy. I didn’t have parchment paper so used a no stick pan. Maybe it was because I didn’t have parchment that they spread and got too thin. But really great, loved the slight spicy kick of the cayenne.
I made these last night and they really are fantastic. I did, however, decide to leave out the cayenne so I’m mostly reviewing the base recipe. I made a full batch exactly as described, and the only thing I did differently was I left some of them plain chocolate, I added some milk chocolate chips on top of some of them, and the rest I dumped on finely crushed peppermint.
The dough is a tiny bit difficult to handle because of how thick it is, but my end product was basically a brownie cookie and looked exactly like yours do in the pictures (maybe a bit darker!). I am definitely going to make these for Christmas because I think they are just too good not to share (not to mention, they were ridiculously easy to get it all together AND we have a gluten-free family member who never gets to partake in my desserts). I will definitely try it with cayenne in the future because that sounds awesome, but I doubt the family would like that so I’m pleased to see the peppermint suggestion.
Mine didn’t turn out, either. The batter was so stiff, my Kitchenaid had a hard time mixing it! For clarification, powdered sugar = icing sugar! right? Also, I kind of packed it in the measuring cup, so that could be my problem. Do you just measure it loosely? I tried to salvage the batter after baking the first tray by adding a bit of milk, but they still aren’t baking properly. :(
I believe powdered sugar is the same as icing sugar! We also call it confectioners sugar. Packing it in the cups may have been the problem. I did measure mine loosely and then just scraped the top of the cup even with a knife.
These look fantastic, so yummy, gonna try this recipe when i can.
These did not turn out well at all. :( The dough is more like batter than dough – thin and runny, even after adding an extra cup of powdered sugar and more cornstarch. It just spread out thin all over the baking sheet
Hmmm,that’s really strange. Mine was so thick that I could barely stir it. You didn’t use three whole eggs, did you? And did you use large sized eggs?
Nope, I used two egg whites and one whole egg. The eggs I get are HUGE, though, so maybe that had something to do with it? But I added a ton of extra dry ingredients to make up the difference, with no effect.
I’ll try again this weekend, and if it’s still batter-y instead of dough-y, I’ll just make it into cayenne crinkle brownies. :)
Ahhh, yes, the size of the egg definitely matters. Use “large” eggs and the moisture ratio will be right and it will probably work better. :)
I made these again using much smaller eggs and was successful! Next time I’ll add more cayenne, though. :)
I had the same problem of it being more like batter than dough, and did make mine into brownies. They came out great! I think my cook time was something like 30 min at 350 degrees, but I had to check them several times throughout.
I made these and the flavor was there, but the texture wasn’t at all. Like another commenter said, my dough was stiff in the bowl but spread out a lot on the sheet. The effect was that most of the filling seemed to wind up outside of the “shell” of the cookie, which had a really interesting crunchy texture!
Could it have to do with using sweetened cocoa powder? I didn’t notice until after they were baked that we only had sweetened. Or maybe I messed up the eggs!
Hmm, if it was stiff in the bowl then spread on the cookie sheet, I wonder if it had something to do with the oven temperature. It’s hard to say without seeing the process… if my first attempt had failed it would be easier to diagnose! :)
Something similar happened to me. I followed the step by step picture instructions and after the fact noticed that you did not include the corn starch in this part of the instructions so I forgot to include it. This may have been what happened to others if they were following the pictures and instructions underneath. It still turned out really delicious though!
These cookies literally melted in my mouth. This is where that whole concept of portion control gets soooo challenging when the food tastes this delicious. Thank god for the “sharing is caring” idea and I’m making the cookies for friends. The cayenne provides that perfect little spicy-punch without being overwhelming. Fantastic recipe.
My dough looked even thicker than the stuff in the picture. The only difference I could think of is that my eggs are kind of old. It seemed to cause them to actually rise instead of spread so I baked them a little longer…weird. Still yummy though! Just kind of a weird texture.
Made these yesterday and they’re pretty great. My wife doesn’t like much spice so she wasn’t the biggest fan but I thought they were great and a different than most cookies. They stayed soft and chewy for a couple days too. I think I’ll use some peppermint extract and leave the spice out for my neighbors christmas cookies. Powdered sugar on top sounds wonderful too!
Unfortunately these cookies did not turn out for me. Normally I’m a pretty lucky baker and things tend to work out, but these turned into a gooey chocolate mess. The crinkle started after a few minutes, then the chocolate oozed out underneath a few seconds later in the oven, doubling them in size, and they did not set after trying to let them cool. The flavor was all there, but they didn’t work out that well for me. :(
I made these cookies by omitting the cayenne, chopping up an orange dark chocolate bar instead of the choc chips, and adding a few drops of orange extract. I took them to a friend’s party and they were a huge hit! Thanks!
Oo, yummy! Another awesome combo to substitute for the cayenne and vanilla could be orange extract and orange zest, chocolate orange style! I might try that and report back how it turns out :)
Your recipes are awesome!! I want to make these as gifts. Do you know if they will hold well to be shipped?
I don’t know, they’re pretty delicate. Mine seemed to dry out a bit after a few days, too, although I don’t think my container was quite air-tight.
Cayenne pepper sounds like the perfect addition to a chocolate treat- these look delicious!
Any idea how long these would last in a Tupperware container? We have a cookie exchange on Christmas Eve and I want to make them now because they look so good!
I think I’d definitely wait. Mine dried out a little after a few days, but I think the lid on my tupperware container isn’t quite air-tight.
I made these cookies this morning and they taste great! How should these cookies be stored?
After they’re completely cool, just keep them in an air-tight container (ziploc bag or tupperware type container).
Would these be gluten free? I exchange treats with a family member and she has celiac disease. It is always a struggle to find recipies.
They are as long as you make sure your chocolate chips and cornstarch are gluten free. Sometimes brands can sneak a little gluten into those products, so you just have to check.
Saw your comment while commentstalking for informational purposes, and thought I’d chime in. In addition to making sure there’s no gluten in the chips or cornstarch, there’s also some risk that you might have gotten gluten into your ingredients by reusing a spoon when baking with all-purpose flour. To be absolutely safest, I’d advise using new containers of cocoa, sugar, and starch; hopefully these are ingredients that you’ll be able to use up the remainder of elsewhere, since they’re pretty common.
Oh, and one more thing: bless you for baking for someone with Celiac disease. Social occasions are so much nicer when one can join in on the noshing of sweets.
I really want to make these but the closest thing I have to cocoa powder is Nesquik, which I’m assuming I probably can’t use. Is there any way to substitute it?
Yeah, you definitely don’t want to use nesquik. That has sugar and maybe even powdered milk in it. There really isn’t anything similar to unsweetened cocoa powder, unfortunately.
Tried to use sweetened cocoa powder once and it exploded in my oven! My oven set off the smoke detector for a couple of days after I cleaned it out, too. I finally bought some unsweetened cocoa powder and made it today for Valentine’s day (we’re going to celebrate it tomorrow instead of Tuesday) and it worked out great! I’m so glad, because I wasn’t sure I was perfect on the powdered sugar (after the second cup it looked like I had JUST enough for a third and couldn’t get it in the measuring cup so I dumped the entire bin in). I can’t wait for the boyfriend to try it. :)
I got this recipe in my inbox this morning and these cookies looked so delicious that I KNEW that I had to make them! I was nervous about adding the cayenne, but it provided the perfect amount of spice without overpowering the other flavors at all. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and also lightly dusted the cookies with powdered sugar before putting them into the oven – they turned out amazing! Thanks for a great recipe!
hi! I’m making these right now,but where do the chocolate chips come into play?
Sorry, I just updated the recipe card to include that! After you stir the eggs and vanilla into the powdered sugar mixture, you then stir in the chocolate chips (you can see it in the step by step photos). My mistake! :P
Man, those look goooood! I have coworkers that don’t like spice. Can you actually taste any kick from the cayenne pepper?
Yes, definitely! They’re spicy. You can do a slightly spicy version with 1/4 tsp of cayenne instead of 1/2 tsp, or just leave it out and do a plain chocolate crinkle.
I made these this afternoon and they taste delicious but came out really flat, any suggestions?
Hmmm. Was your batter really thick and stiff after mixing?
Mine are in the oven now but my batter was runny and not thick…. Hmm. Just pulled them out and they got Hubby’s approval!
It was thick and stiff in the bowl but started to spread as soon as I put the batter on the cookie tray. They didn’t puff up very much in the oven either, just a whole lotta spreading.
I’m in the UK so sometimes ingredients are a bit different and cause problems when trying to translate recipes to British equivalents, but I followed the directions exactly and none of these particular ingredients vary that much over here so I’m stumped!
That is strange! My batter stayed in little ragged balls after I scooped them onto the baking sheet. It sounds like there might have been more moisture in your batter. It’s a mystery!
I had the same problem! I’m over in Australia so I was wondering if maybe the powdered sugar (icing sugar) or cocoa powder wasn’t the same as what you’ve got in the states? Still tasted good, but it’s definitely not one that I can share with neighbours & coworkers.
Ooh these look goood! I’m out of cayenne; wonder if chili powder or Sriracha would work instead?
Chili powder is often a mild mix of spices, so that won’t work quite the same. Sriracha has other flavors, like garlic and vinegar, so I’m not sure how that would work in there, either.
I ended up using half chili powder and half cinnamon instead of the cayenne pepper. They came out a little flat and a little too big (next time i’ll make them smaller), and they needed a little longer in the oven to get as crunchy as i like them, but taste GREAT! Thanks for the recipe!
Just made these and the only change I made was I used dark chocolate cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips, and they turned out AMAZING!!!
Do these freeze well?
I haven’t tried freezing them. :(
Oh man! I didn’t look at the pics and missed adding the chips. They’re in the oven now. Only time will tell. Darn.
I use arrowroot in place of cornstarch in baked goods.
Oh no! I didn’t realize I forgot that step in the recipe card. Adding now. Thanks for letting me know!
Could you do these without cornstarch? Or could you suggest a replacement? My husband is allergy to corn but I’d love to make these for him.
Is there potato starch available in your location? Where I live it’s much more common than corn starch, and I think it would work as a replacement – starch is statch, after all.
I’m not quite sure what would happen without the cornstarch. A few people have posted some alternatives, though. :)
Saw your comment when commentstalking for informational purposes, and thought I’d chime in. Tapioca, arrowroot, or the aforementioned potato starch are all options, at least in most baking; I haven’t tried this recipe yet myself. Potato starch should be substituted in an equal amount to cornstarch, but tapioca and arrowroot sometimes needs twice as much than if you used cornstarch (so up to 2 tablespoons in this recipe).
That was the useful part of my reply. The rest is simply interesting information, but not exactly helpful for immediate results:
The starch is pretty important, since it helps give structure to the molecular network holding the cookies together, but the egg white also serves in helping hold the cookies together. Beating the egg whites separately before combining with the rest of the ingredients could help the whites take on more of the role of holding things together, but that would also change the consistency of the cookie and possibly ruin it. Definitely a bit of an advanced parameter to experiment with, there, but it’s still a possibility.
Please add to directions when to add the chips. I see it in the photos
I’m sorry I missed that! I’ve fixed it now. :)
I think my husband will really like these. I might skip the cayenne and instead use his habanero-infused salt in place of the regular salt.
I’m looking forward to making these cookies.
Do want.
Any reason they can’t be frozen? They look delicious and, as you said, a perfect and inexpensive gift.
I’m not sure how merengue type cookies freeze.
do you know of any paleo substitutions to powdered sugar?
Hmm, nope. Powdered sugar is pretty unique.
Pretty sure Ogg and Grunta weren’t eating chocolate cookies, with or without powdered sugar…