Mexican Hot Cocoa Cookies

I love spicy chocolate anything! And these cookies perfectly fit that bill... Delicious!

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

grated zest from 1/2 of a large orange

2 1/4 cups flour

Beat sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in cream of tartar and baking soda. Mix in cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne and orange zest. Mix in flour.

Scoop dough into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Bake on parchment lined baking sheets at 350 for 9-10 minutes, or until edges are set. Let cool a bit on sheet before removing to racks to cool. 

Raspberry Linzer Bars

 This Christmas I made real raspberry linzer cookies. I rolled the dough, cut them out, layered them with jam. They were adorable, delicious and a lot of work! 

This recipe makes all of that so much simpler and still taste yummy!

1 cup flour

3/8 cup almond flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix in large bowl with whisk. 

Cut in 1/2 cup of room temperature butter.

Press 2/3 of dough into an 8" square baking pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed with baking spray.

Spread dough with raspberry jam.

Crumble remaining dough on top of jam layer. 

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until base is light golden brown. 

Let cool. Cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar.