Rich and decadent chocolate cookies spiced with the subtle flavors of cayenne, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sweet and spicy at its finest!
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT10M
Total time: PT85M
Rating
5 stars (7 reviews)
Keywords
Chocolate cayenne cookies, Chocolate cayenne cookies recipe
Ingredients
1 and ¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons (36g) Dutch processed cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper1
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces (113g) semi-sweet chocolate2 (chopped)
Categories
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Steps
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (approximately 2-3 minutes). Turn the mixer speed down to medium, add the egg and vanilla, and beat again until combined.
With the mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add the chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) and continue mixing until evenly dispersed. Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. You can also portion out the dough and chill it in balls, if you prefer.
When you are ready to bake the cookies, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
Using a cookie scoop (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies), roll the dough into balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are set and center is no longer shiny. Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature up to 1 week. Baked cookies can be frozen, up to 2 months. Rolled cookie dough can be frozen, up to 3 months. Place on baking sheet and add 1-2 minutes to baking time.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 129 kcal
Carbohydrates: 18 g
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 6 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 0.2 g
Cholesterol: 17 mg
Sodium: 52 mg
Sugar: 10 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.3 g
Reviews
Justin E. on 2025-12-15 (5 stars): These are delicious. The after-kick of cayenne is a nice surprise. I'm entering these into a holiday cookie bake-off contest at work. I'll let you know how it goes!
Jamie I on 2025-04-29 (5 stars): WOW! Just made these cookies for the first time & I'll be making them again & again! I added the extra cayenne & they were perfect! Not too hot but a delicious after heat!
5 star recipe!
Leigh W. on 2025-03-06 (5 stars): These are fantastic. Make them all the time. I add some white chocolate chips too and a little sea salt on top at the end. The sea salt make the chocolate sing! Thank you for the recipe.
Jo on 2024-08-02 (5 stars): These cookies were bomb! Perfectly moist and chewy. I was scared to add the full amount of cayenne, but will add more next time.
Kayla on 2023-07-29 (5 stars): Make em all the time, a favorite
Cindy Jones on 2020-04-07 (5 stars): These are great. My husband said this is the best cookie I’ve ever made and we have been together for almost 40 years. I went with the higher quantity of cayenne. No regrets! Make these today!
Rani on 2018-02-10 (5 stars): Made these today and I loved them!! Still goey in the center and really liked the subtile spicy kick at the end. A winner cookie!
