Chocolate Spice Drops
makes 4 dozen cookies
These cookies are plenty rich, but the spices give them a nice edge. Be careful not to overbake them - it's hard to tell when the bottoms are browning. They should be soft to a gentle touch when they're finished.
2 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
prep: 25 minutes
total: 40 minutes
cookie sheets
mixing bowl
mixer
wire cooling racks
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice and white pepper. Using a whisk or a fork, mix until the spices are well combined. Set 1/2 cup of the mixture aside to coat the cookies before baking.
2. Add the butter to the mixing bowl, and cream with the sugar and spices until light and fluffy. Mix in the cocoa powder, eggs and vanilla.
3. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture about 1 cup at a time, and mix until combined.
4. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the ball thouroughly in the reserved sugar and spices, and then drop it onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake them for 10-14 minutes, or until the edges are just firm and the tops still soft to the touch.
5. Cool thoroughly on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.
