Recipes
Tex-Mex Chocolate Icebox Cookies
A touch of cayenne pepper lends these sweet treats their surprising but subtle heat.
- Makes
About 4 dozen
- Time
45 minutes, plus chilling
In 2005, these spicy chocolate icebox cookies from San Antonio’s legendary Liberty Bar took the No. 7 slot in the SAVEUR 100. They were also featured in our 2013 book 50 Best Cookies. The Texas institution still serves them at Sunday brunch in lieu of a bread basket and completely unadorned. That festive drizzle of white chocolate is all us.
Featured in the January/February 2005 issue.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 12 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- Melted white chocolate, for drizzling
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Instructions
Step 1
In a medium bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. To a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar, vanilla, and egg and beat on high until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes more. Using your fingers, work the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.
Step 2
Using a bowl scraper, divide the dough in half and transfer each to a large sheet of parchment. Use the parchment to squeeze and roll the dough into 2 compact 9-inch logs, twisting the ends tightly to make uniform cylinders. Freeze for at least 8 hours, or up to 30 days. (If freezing longer than 24 hours, cover the paper-wrapped cylinders tightly in plastic.)
Step 3
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Unwrap and slice each dough log into ⅓-inch-thick rounds. Transfer the rounds to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about ½ inch apart. Bake until the cookies are slightly puffed with tiny cracks on the surface, 7–9 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4
Place the rack of cooled cookies over a cool baking sheet. Using the tines of a small fork or a pastry bag fitted with a very fine tip, generously drizzle with melted white chocolate. Set aside until the chocolate is firm. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the cookies will keep for up to 7 days.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, and salt. To a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar, vanilla, and egg and beat on high until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the butter and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes more. Using your fingers, work the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined.
- Using a bowl scraper, divide the dough in half and transfer each to a large sheet of parchment. Use the parchment to squeeze and roll the dough into 2 compact 9-inch logs, twisting the ends tightly to make uniform cylinders. Freeze for at least 8 hours, or up to 30 days. (If freezing longer than 24 hours, cover the paper-wrapped cylinders tightly in plastic.)
- Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Unwrap and slice each dough log into ⅓-inch-thick rounds. Transfer the rounds to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about ½ inch apart. Bake until the cookies are slightly puffed with tiny cracks on the surface, 7–9 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Place the rack of cooled cookies over a cool baking sheet. Using the tines of a small fork or a pastry bag fitted with a very fine tip, generously drizzle with melted white chocolate. Set aside until the chocolate is firm. Stored in an airtight container at room temperature, the cookies will keep for up to 7 days.
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