Updated: Nov 7, 2023 by Marc Matsumoto · 65 Comments

Hot and Spicy Chocolate Chip Cookies

How do you like your Chocolate Chip Cookies? Crisp and crunchy? Cakey or gooey? I like mine with a kick of spicy goodness!

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A stack of perfect Chocolate Chip cookies that hold a surprise: Spice!

There are few desserts that I can think of that cause as much debate as the proper texture for a chocolate chip cookie. Some like them chewy, others like them crunchy while there's another camp that prefers a more cake-like texture. I've always been on the fence, loving the crisp caramelized snap of a good crunchy cookie while feeling equally partial to the soft and chewy cookie more reminiscent of the dough before it's been cooked. And if you're a dunker like me, you probably also appreciate the cakier cookies for their ability to soak up milk like a sponge for a cool creamy mouthful of sweet heaven. I decided to jump into the debate and possibly upset both sides with this recipe for Hot and Spicy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

So why have these chocolate chip cookie factions always been mutually exclusive? Is it not possible to have a cookie that suits everyone? These were some questions I started asking myself as I set out to make my first batch of cookies in over 4 years. I started with the basic recipe I learned from my mom as a kid. Then, I reduced the amount of flour (her's is very cakey), increased the amount of sugar (to make it more chewy and to increase crispness), and finally played with the baking times with each tray.

The perfect texture for a chocolate chip cookie: crisp edges and a gooey, cakey center.

By using a balanced dough (between flour, sugar and butter), I was able to get different textured cookies based on the amount of time they were cooked for. At 12 minutes the edges were slightly cakey while the centers were chewy and slightly gooey. At 16 minutes the cookies were cooked all the way through with crunchy edges and a crumbly center. 14 minutes turned out to be the magic number for my oven, producing cookies with a nice snap at the edges, a layer with a slightly cakey crumb on top, and a dense chewy bottom. But why stop there? Can't a chocolate chip cookie incite more than just a texture debate? I was determined to take this debate to another level with my Hot and Spicy Chocolate Chip Cookies.

In the flavor department, I'm a big fan of rustic Mexican chocolate, which is often infused with spices such as cinnamon and chili peppers. It also tends to be much more coarse than European chocolates due to the lack of conching. I wanted to introduce some of this into these cookies, but since Mexican chocolate can be hard to find, I added the spices to the dough instead. The heat really punctuates the earthy chocolate and brown sugar, making you pause for a moment while you figure out what's different about this cookie.

While I recommend the combo, if spicy chocolate chip cookies aren't your thing, try adding some peppermint oil to the dough, or replacing some of the sugar with raspberry jam. While experimentation in baking is often frowned upon, cookies are pretty forgiving and a great opportunity to try your hand at something a little different. The next time you bring cookies to a gathering, why not stir some delicious debate with a plate of Hot and Spicy Chocolate Chip Cookies?

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