Holiday Baking: Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

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Last summer, a few days before we moved to our new home, I went on vacation. Alone. To the Riviera Maya (Cancun, Mexico). It was my first solo trip… ever.

NO CHILDREN!!!!!!!

While there, I pretty much did not do a thing except eat and drink and eat and drink and eat. . . . and drink and eat some more.

Hands down, my most favoritest (yes, it’s a word today) thing I consumed was the dessert my second night there: a churros platter with a side mug of Mexican Hot Chocolate.

Oh. My. Swoon… the warm, cinnamon-covered churros were nothing short of amazing but the hot chocolate? That little mug of spicy goodness was the stuff of foodie dreams. Hot. Spiced. Foamy. And rich with chocolate.

I was heartbroken when I the last drop transferred from the cup to my lips. My perfect dessert experience was over.

(sniff)

When I was contacted to create a holiday baking recipe for International Delight, a few ideas floated through my head as I looked over the different specialty and seasonal creamer flavors available at my local grocery store. Would I make North Pole Cake Pops, a favorite treat from last year’s North Pole Breakfast? What about a white-chocolate cranberry tart (an idea that has been swirling in my thoughts for some time)?

Then I remembered that perfect cup of spicy hot chocolate…. and the decision was made. I would find a way to turn one of my favorite coffee creamers into the perfect spicy, chocolatey cookie.

For you … in order to create the best possible cookie for you … I sacrificed myself. 7 batches of cookies. Taste-tested by me until they were absolutely right. Just the right amount of cinnamon and chocolate and cream and pepper and CHOCOLATE.

It had to be right — and I stepped up to the challenge. At the end of the day, I had the. best. cookie.

And I was sick of the taste of chocolate.

(the things I do for others…. sigh)

Don’t worry, 24 hours later, the aversion had passed and I was back to a state of being enamored with these cookies … as were the Kidlets, who kept trying to sneak into the cookies and the glaze. Even Barney Kneeknuckles stole one of the cookies from his Daddy, and then side-swipped every attempt to reclaim it.

(smart baby)

By the way, there is VERY little measuring needed for this recipe … ’cause it’s really a “Semi-Homemade” cookie. The secret? One Devil’s Food Cake Mix. That’s right… a cake mix cookie.

This makes for a very fast cookie to make and bake — awesome for a last minute teacher or coworker gift.

And, since it requires little mess and fuss, it’s a great recipe for little hands to help prepare…. which means Kidlets can help make ~~your~~ Santa’s Christmas Eve cookies.

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients

1 Box of Devils’ Food Cake mix
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon*
2 Teaspoons Cocoa-Chili Spice Blend **
2 Large eggs
1/3 Cup of Oil

For the Glaze

1 Cup Powdered (confectioner’s) Sugar
3 Tablespoons International Delight Cinnabon Creamer
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 Teaspoons Cocoa-Chili Spice Blend

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Either by hand or with your mixer, gently combine the cake mix and the spices till well blended.
Next, add the two eggs and the oil and stir till thoroughly mixed.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using two small spoons, scoop out small 1-2 inch pieces of dough and drop them, evenly spaced, onto your baking sheet. Alternate Method: roll the scoops of dough between your clean hands to make a ball of dough and then place each ball on the cookie sheet (evenly spaced).
Bake for 9-10 minutes. Do not over-bake!!!
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cookies to deflate and cool slightly before removing to wire rack to finish cooling.

To Make the Glaze.

Gently combine the spices with the powdered sugar and then add the 3 tablespoons of Cinnabon Creamer, mixing on high till completely smooth.
Pour the glaze into a pastry/piping bag (with a small circle tip attached) or a squeeze bottle.
Pipe or squeeze the glaze over the cookies in a back and forth motion.
Allow the glaze to set on the cookies before plating or packaging for gifts.***
Store in an airtight container

Notes

*I used Roasted Saigon Cinnamon but regular ground cinnamon will work.

**Cocoa Chili Spice Blends can be found in the spice aisle. If you can not find it in your grocery store, you can create your own with baking cocoa and ground chipotle powder or ground cayenne powder (4:1 ratio).

***If packaging in boxes or tins for gift giving, place a layer of parchment paper in between cookie layers to avoid having the cookies stick to one another.

Get a Coupon, Make These Cookies And Help A Child Stay Warm

Right now, International Delight is working with the Coats for Kids Foundation to provide coats for children and teens who would otherwise not have one… and YOU can help!

For every UPC number entered via their Share Your Delight site, International Delight will donate 50 cents to Coats for Kids. How much creamer do you go through? I don’t know about the rest of you, but I drink a LOT of coffee … giving me plenty of opportunities to make my UPC donations.

(psssst…. you can also enter UPC numbers from Horizon, Land O’ Lakes, and Silk products … OR donate directly to the Coats for Kids Foundation)

To help you stock up on your International Delight, you can visit the International Delight Facebook Page for a Printable Coupon.

And, for even more scrumptious recipes, follow #IDBaking or @InDelight on Pinterest to see what other creations can be made with International Delight!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

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