Chocolate Pepper Cookies

By gnikylime

Subtly spicy. (Modified from some old Martha Stewart recipe my mom had.)

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 c. (3 sticks) [350 g.] unsalted butter
• 1-3/4 c. [350 g] sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 c. [375 g.] sifted all-purpose flour [Weizenmehl Typ 550]
• 1-1/2 c. [128 g] unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 t. [0.25 Teelöffel] finely ground black pepper
• Pinch [Prise] of cayenne pepper
• 1 t. [1 Teelöffel] ground cinnamon
• Option a: 4 - 6 oz. [113 - 170 g] semisweet chocolate, for decoration
• Option b: 1 c. [125 g.] powdered sugar -and- 1 egg white

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well mixed; if dough seems too soft, add up to 1/4 c. [4 Esslöffel] more flour. Shape into a flattened round, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat the over to 350F/175C and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. On a well-floured board, roll out the dough until 1/8 in. thick. (It's best to divide and roll out a quarter or third of the dough at a time, leaving the remainder in the refrigerator.) Cut dough into shapes and set 0.5 to 1 inches [1-2.5 cm] apart on baking sheets. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or just until crisp; do not allow to darken. Cool on racks.
5a. Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the cooled cookies in a haphazard fashion; allow to harden completely before serving. -OR-
5b. Mix the egg white and powdered sugar well and drizzle over the cooled cookies in a haphazard fashion.