Chocolate Cayenne Wafer Cookies

Chocolate Cayenne Wafer Cookies~ Don’t be fooled by the picture. These thin, chocolaty crisp wafers are spiced with some cayenne pepper that will have your taste buds dancing to a sweet and spicy tune.

I’m sure you’ve noticed by now I love chocolate. In fact, I’m guessing that a third of my posts are chocolate or chocolate related. The thing is chocolate is versatile to work with and that’s why its one of my favorite flavors to bake with. It does well alone and compliments almost anything it’s paired with. . . like cayenne.

Ah, yes a test recipe gone right.  And boy is it ever right. I love these Chocolate Cayenne Wafers, so I had to test them on my very picky husband whose palate tends to veer towards the less adventurous.

I have to confess, I didn’t tell him even when he asked what was in them. I answered his, “What weird thing did you put in them” with “They’re called Chocolate Wafers”.

Does omitting one word deem my answer a lie? If so, this post will serve as my confession.

What do you pair a Chocolate Cayenne Wafers with? Well if you are Matt, you have it with milk. To my relief he liked it with only one comment of “I know there’s something weird in here”. For me, I don’t like milk and my chocolate pairing preference is wine.

And that is exactly how I’m going to end this post and this evening. Left over Chocolate Cayenne Wafers from the photo, a glass of Migration Anderson Valley Pinot Noir and Kathryn Stockett’s The Help— a perfect ending to a very long day.

A few notes:
1. The dough is extremely sticky, so divide your dough into two portions and keep one half in the refrigerated while you work with the other half.
2. Make sure to roll your dough between two pieces of parchment to minimize having to flour your work surface.
3. After rolling the dough into a 1/8 of an inch, place the dough in the freezer for ten minutes prior to using your cutter. The freezer will help keep the cutouts nice and neat when you transfer the cutout from parchment to cookie sheet.
4. The polka dot glass is from Pier 1 Imports. If you know me, you know I’m mad for polka dots. And for those who do know me, please don’t get me polka-dot-everything, I love it but I’m picky about it too. (Okay, so that was really a note to the near and dear in my life, since my b-day is approaching).

Chocolate Cayenne Wafers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Starbucks instant coffee Via (bold blend)
1/2 teaspoon Vietnamese cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, cayenne, Starbuck’s Via, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar with paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
3. Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and mix until combined.  Add flour mixture; mix until just combined.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough 1/8 inch thick between parchment paper.
5. Cut dough using a 2 1/2-inch preferred cutter. Transfer cutouts to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes or until they only slightly give when lightly touched.