A fun surprise for Cinco de Mayo—or any time you’re feeling a little adventurous—chocolate cookies with a little heat! The Vosges Red Fire chocolate bar doesn’t seem to be sold at the upscale grocery stores that used to carry it (like Kowalski’s, or Lunds and Byerly’s). If you can’t find the rather spendy Vosges bar ($10!), try the Lindt Excellence Dark Chili bar instead. I’ve used the Lindt bar several times. It’s a third of the price of the Vosges bar, and it tastes the same once baked in the cookies. I’ve also found the chili chocolate bar isn’t completely necessary to the success of the cookies. With the cocoa powder and cayenne, you get the sweet-heat combo anyway. If you’ve not tried Mexican vanilla, it’s clear, not amber in color, and has a woodsy or nutty flavor. It isn’t essential if you can’t find it, but it adds an interesting subtle twist.

I heard about these from a friend who found the recipe in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Michelle Clark of St. Paul, Minnesota entered it in a contest sponsored by the paper, and won. (A similar recipe is sometimes called Spicy Mexican Chocolate Cookies by others posting it online.) If the thought of a sweet-and-spicy mix scares you, don’t be afraid! I’m a total wimp about heat in my food, and I love these sweet treats. In fact, my sons tease that I might say, “Oooh boy, that mayonnaise sure has some KICK!” Just for the record, I have never said that.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup flour
3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile or cayenne pepper powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract (or regular vanilla)
1 (3.3 ounce) Vosges Red Fire chocolate bar, or 1 (3.5 ounce) Lindt Excellence Dark Chili bar, chopped
1/2 cup (3 ounce) cinnamon chips, such as Hershey Cinnamon Chips

For dusting:

4 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or cayenne

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Optional: line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a double boiler over simmering water OR in glass measuring cup in microwave (on high 2 minutes), melt bittersweet chocolate until smooth. Remove from heat and cool melted chocolate for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cayenne powder and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until crumbly.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until mixture is pale, light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add lukewarm melted chocolate and vanilla, and beat until just combined. Fold in flour mixture, then fold in chopped chocolate bar and cinnamon chips. In a small bowl, stir together sugar, cinnamon, and chili pepper or cayenne.

Drop batter by tablespoon onto baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Sprinkle a pinch of dusting mixture over each cookie and bake 15-17 minutes, or until tops are evenly cracked but cookies are not yet firm to the touch. Remove from oven and cool cookies completely on baking sheets. Store in airtight container.