Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

If you can imagine the cozy comfort of a mug of rich hot chocolate with an extra zing of cinnamon spice, you’ll have a sense of the flavor of Mexican hot chocolate cookies. Inspired by Mexican hot cocoa, these cookies are crispy outside and chewy inside. The dough is rich with melted chocolate and spiked with molasses and cinnamon for an unforgettable flavor and moist texture. Before baking, you’ll roll the dough in sugar, creating a distinctive sweet white coating that will showcase the deep crackles of the baked cookies.

Ingredients for Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

• Butter: For this Mexican hot chocolate cookie recipe, use any kind of butter—even a vegan butter! Just make sure it’s meltable.
• Unsweetened chocolate: Real chocolate gives these cookies a robust flavor. Be sure to use the right type of chocolate for baking, not bittersweet or semisweet.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar is super moist, contributing to the soft chew of these cookies.
• Light corn syrup: Using corn syrup instead of granulated sugar adds lots of moisture to the batter.
• Egg: Use a room-temperature egg when baking for the best texture.
• All-purpose flour: Be sure to measure flour properly. Spoon it into a measuring cup, then level it off with a butter knife.
• Baking soda: Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps the dense cookie dough rise and become airy when baked.
• Cinnamon: Spicy, aromatic cinnamon is used twice in this Mexican hot chocolate cookie recipe: in the batter and mixed with confectioners’ sugar for the exterior coating.
• Confectioners’ sugar: Also known as powdered sugar, confectioners’ sugar coats the outsides of the cookies, adding a frosty appearance that’s festive for holiday cookie plates.

Directions

Step 1: Prep the brown sugar mixture

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In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and chocolate. Microwave the mixture in short bursts until melted. Stir until smooth.

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Beat in the brown sugar and corn syrup until well blended. Beat in the egg.

Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients

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In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt.

Step 3: Beat everything together

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Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the brown sugar mixture.

Editor’s Tip: We like to add 1/3 of the dry ingredients at a time, mixing until the flour is just incorporated into the batter. Overmixing can result in tough cookies.

Step 4: Chill the dough

Refrigerate the dough, covered, until it is firm, about 1 hour.

Editor’s Tip: The dough will be sticky after mixing. This rest in the refrigerator hardens the dough so it’s easier to roll into balls.

Step 5: Form the cookies

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and the remaining cinnamon. Shape the chilled cookie dough into 1-1/2-inch balls. Roll each dough ball in the confectioners’ sugar mixture, then place the dough balls 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

Step 6: Bake the cookies

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Bake until the cookies are set and the tops are cracked, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for two minutes, then remove the cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.

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Recipe Variations

• Roll in granulated sugar: For a crunchy exterior, use granulated sugar instead of confectioners’ sugar. This will give the cookies a snickerdoodle-style cinnamon-sugar topping.
• Intensify the cocoa flavor: Stir 1 teaspoon espresso powder into the batter for a flavor boost.
• Add chocolate chips: Fold mini chocolate chips into the cookie batter before baking.
• Stir in more spice: Add a dash of nutmeg, cloves or cardamom.
• Make them gluten-free: Just swap in a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix for the wheat flour at a ratio of 1-1.

How to Store Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

When the cookies have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Keep them away from direct heat and light—not doing so is a common mistake when storing cookies.

How long do Mexican hot chocolate cookies last?

These extra-moist cookies will keep well for up to five days.

Can you freeze Mexican hot chocolate cookies?

Yes, this Mexican hot chocolate cookie recipe freezes well. When completely cooled, transfer the cookies to an airtight container or large freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie Tips

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Why are my Mexican hot chocolate cookies flat?

Cookies going flat is one of the most common baking woes, and the spreading can happen for several reasons. The dough may have been too warm when it went into the oven. If the cookies feel greasy when you’re rolling them in the sugar, that’s a sign that the butter has melted—pop them back in the fridge to harden again before baking.

Too much baking soda can also make cookies spread. They’ll rise quickly, then collapse. Measure carefully when making the batter for this Mexican hot chocolate cookie recipe.

The good news? Flat cookies taste just fine, so don’t ditch them. Break them up with a spatula, if needed, to make cookie-sized pieces.

Why didn’t my Mexican hot chocolate cookies crinkle?

For the best crinkle, Mexican hot chocolate cookie dough should go into the oven as cold as possible. If the cookies didn’t crinkle, the dough may not have chilled long enough before the cookies were shaped or the cookies sat out at room temperature for too long before going into the oven.

To ensure a crinkle, shape and roll the cookies, then return the baking sheet to the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up the cookies before putting them in the oven.