You’ll have to trust me on this one.  Chocolate + Cinnamon + Cayenne + Black Pepper.

Pretty great.

I remember traveling to Mexico as a kid and watching the waiters serve the flaming Mexican coffee across the room – intrigued at the idea of cinnamon and spice in coffee – along with fire and flames.  The sight was spectacular!  A liquid arc of flame…

The tableside glowing blaze is certainly still exciting, but adding cinnamon in interesting ways is now nothing new to me.  Cinnamon in espresso…yes, please.
Cinnamon in chocolate – oh yes – and add a hint of cayenne and black pepper for a definite spring in your step!

Mexican Pepper Cookies

½ c. pastured butter or ghee
1 c. date sugar
2 Tbs. maple syrup or honey
3 eggs
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ – ¾ c. coconut flour
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ + tsp. cayenne pepper
¾ c. dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using an electric mixer on medium high speed, cream together butter and sugar until smooth.  Reduce speed to medium, add eggs and vanilla extra and beat until well combined.  Set aside.  Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, black pepper, and cayenne.  Add the mixture to the wet ingredients and fold together until fully combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Using a spoon, drop into “balls” on prepared cookie sheet.  Bake 11-13 minutes, or until just set.  Cool before enjoying.

**My recipe is original, but my photos are not.  Credit is certainly due to these amazing food bloggers for their photographic talent.  Each image is linked to its original owner.  Thank you!!