Spicy Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies | Sweet & Heat Gourmet Cookie Recipe

Prepare Sugar Coating: In a small, shallow bowl, combine ¼ cup of the white sugar with ½ teaspoon of the ground cinnamon. Set aside. This will be used for rolling the cookie dough.

Preheat Oven & Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream Butter & Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and the remaining 1 ½ cups of white sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the vanilla extract, sea salt, and eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the cream of tartar, baking soda, cocoa powder, the remaining ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and the cayenne pepper.

Combine Wet & Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.

Fold in Chocolate Chips: Stir in the semisweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Chill Dough (Optional but Recommended): For a firmer dough that's easier to handle and cookies that spread less, cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Roll and Bake: Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough. Roll each ball of dough in the reserved cinnamon-sugar mixture, coating it evenly. Place the coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft. The tops may crack slightly, which is characteristic of these cookies.

Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.