Shiloh had a special ceremony in Missionettes tonight.  We has a great time fellowshipping  and eating the snacks.  Shiloh has really grown up this past year..I had to buy her a size 3 (those were the days) in Jr sizes.I can’t believe it. I think if I had time to think about how quickly life is flying by I would be sad!

Anyway, I made these deep, chocolate-y, slightly spicy cookies to take.    They must have been great, they were all gone in moments.

Chocolate Pecan Chili Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (or more) chili powder
• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

1.  Beat butter and sugars together.  Beat in egg and vanilla.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients together and stir in.
3. Fold in the pecans.
4. Roll in balls and roll the balls in sugar.
5. Place on the baking sheet.
6. Bake on silpat covered sheets in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
7. Press down slightly and cool.  Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

4 dozen

Post from: Baking Delights

Chocolate Intrigue Cookies are the most chocolaty and intriguing combination of ingredients that I could come up with. The addition of black pepper spices it up and adds an amazingly exotic touch to these exquisite chocolate morsels. They are rich and dense, but chewy and comforting…sort of like a chocolate chip cookie gone wild. Serve them to only your most favorite people. And only when they have been especially nice.

Chocolate Intrigue Cookies

2 c flour

1/3 c dark cocoa

1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter

2 c sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3/4 c bittersweet chocolate chunks

3/4 c dark chocolate chips

3/4 c macadamia nuts or brazil nuts, chopped coarsely

3/4 c sweetened coconut

Mix dry ingredients together.

Cream the butter. Add sugar and mix until light. Beat in the egg. Blend in vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in the coconut, nuts, and chocolate and blend well.

Drop by teaspoons onto a parchment or silpat covered cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheet for 5 minutes before removing to cool completely. For a fancier cookie drizzle melted white chocolate over top. 4 dozen cookies that will disappear very fast.

Post from: Baking Delights

   These cookies are some that I came up with when our local grocery had toffee pieces on clearance for almost nothing.  They are sooo good….

• 1/2 c unsalted butter
• 1/2 c butter flavored crisco OR spectrum organic shortening 
• 3/4 c white sugar
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbs mexican vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 1/2 c hershey’s dark cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 c white chocolate chips
• 1/2 c pecans or walnuts
• 1 c heath bar chopped up or toffee pieces

1. Cream butter, crisco, sugars, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy
2. Add dry ingredients
3. Fold in chips, nuts, and toffee.
4. Chill for 30 minutes.
5. Drop by tsp on silpat or lightly greased cookie sheets
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just barely done
7. Cool
8. About 4 doz depending how much of the dough you eat
9. *I dont like using the crisco and sometimes I will use all butter but all butter will make the cookies flatter.. I have also recently started using organic shortening (no trans fats) and I really like it.

Post from: Baking Delights