Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

We get excited for the New York Times’ Cookie Week. It’s evolved over the years, but we look forward to whatever interesting recipes they assemble. For the 2023 edition, the one my wife was eager to work on first ended up being one of her favourites.

There’s been a bowl of cut up marshmallows in our freezer since the first week of December, when our friend from New York came to visit and helped us prep. But it wasn’t until the 2nd last day of the year when I started to bake. The recipe gets its national moniker from the inclusion of cinnamon and cayenne. I don’t think my cayenne powder is that fresh, so I substituted Kashmiri chile instead.

You need to set aside time to chill the dough rounds, two hours or so. Those frozen marshmallow bits are also key, because they keep their shape as you stuff them into the centre of the dough balls.

I thought these were kind of interesting, but ultimately passed on them because I don’t like marshmallow. But Dr. S loved it: the cinnamon sugar on first taste, followed by the spice kick and satisfying chocolate flavour.