mexican hot chocolate snickerdoodles

I can't believe I forgot to post about these cookies - a twist on a traditional snickerdoodle. I found them on Culinary in the Desert, and as they noted, the name was a little misleading. When I think of Mexican hot chocolate, I think of thick hot chocolate laced with cinnamon. These cookies have a cinnamon element like a traditional snickerdoodle - there's cinnamon in the dough and they're rolled in cinnamon sugar - but they also include 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, which is what the "hot" in the title actually refers to. (I put a tiny bit of cayenne in, but probably not even 1/8 teaspoon since I knew the kids would be eating them. So yeah, I didn't really get the "hot" of the hot chocolate, but the cinnamon in the dough gives a little kick as well.)

I really liked these. They are chewy, and the sugar on the outside makes for a nice crunch. I usually find snickerdoodles too buttery, but they're actually made with oil, not butter, plus the cocoa changes the whole equation. They are a great cookie to have around to snack on. Not fancy, but a good, basic cookie with a nice, surprise twist.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles (Adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar)
Makes about two dozen

Cookie dough:
1 2/3 cups (7 ounces) flour
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or omit, if desired)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (use the good stuff!)
3 tablespoons milk (if you want it to be vegan, use soy or almond milk)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Sugar coating:
1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cayenne (if using), and salt. In a small bowl, which together oil, sugar, syrup, milk, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined.

Mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop cookie dough into balls, roll in cinnamon sugar, and place about two inches apart on a parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheet. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookies slightly. (The original recipe says to roll the dough into balls, flatten each into a 2" disc, press one side of the cookie into the sugar, and then place the cookie, sugar side up, on the cookie sheet. That seemed harder to me.)

Bake until the cookies have spread and are crackly on top, 9-12 minutes. Cool cookies on sheet for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. If you move them sooner, they will fall apart; they need a few minutes out of the oven on the cookie sheet to firm up.