Chocolate Cayenne Cocktail Cookies
These bite-size cookies are sweet, salty and spicy at the same time. This recipe, from cookbook author Dorie Greenspan, is a perfect complement to a glass of champagne. Greenspan recommends using Maldon sea salt, a lightly flaky salt from England, for the
Makes 5 dozen 1 1⁄2-inch round cookies
1 1⁄2 cups flour
1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1⁄3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk Garnish:
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt flakes such as Maldon sea salt
In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, cayenne and salt. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter with both sugars at low speed 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl periodically.
Add egg yolk; beat until smooth. With mixer on medium-low, add dry ingredients until incorporated.
Place dough on work surface; knead gently until dough comes together. Divide dough in half and press each half into a disk. Roll out each disk between two pieces of wax paper to 1⁄4–inch thickness. Slide wax paper with dough onto a sheet pan with sides. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Continue with remaining dough disk. (see note)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
Place one wax paper-encased dough onto work surface. Lift off top paper. Use a 1 1⁄2 inch-round cookie cutter to cut dough into rounds. Place on prepared sheet pans. Leftover dough can be gathered and rolled out between wax paper. If dough is still chilled, cut out remaining cookies. If dough is sticky, refrigerate half an hour to make cutting easier. Continue with remaining dough.
Lightly sprinkle 2 to 3 flakes of sea salt on each cookie. Bake in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes or until just firm. Let cookies cool on pan 5 minutes, then remove and place on wire rack to cool completely
Note: The dough rolled in wax paper can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. Remove from freezer and let sit at room temperature 5 minutes before cutting out cookies.