Chocolate Spice Cookies
6 servings
70 minutes
Spiced chocolate cookies are a refined treat that combines the rich flavor of cocoa, the velvety bitterness of dark chocolate, and warm notes of aromatic spices. This delicacy draws inspiration from traditional European recipes where spices play a crucial role in baking, adding depth to the flavor. The addition of red wine makes the cookies particularly sophisticated, enriching them with a rich aroma and softness. A light citrus freshness from orange zest balances the flavor composition. Such cookies pair wonderfully with a cup of strong coffee or a glass of wine, creating a cozy atmosphere, and their spicy character makes them ideal for winter holidays and special occasions.
1
Mix flour, cocoa, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg in one container. Add half of the powdered sugar — 60 g and the zest of 1 orange. Fresh zest should be added to the dry mixture in portions to prevent clumping. It's also better to chop the zest with a knife and dry it a bit.
- Wheat flour: 250 g
- Cocoa powder: 30 g
- Ground cinnamon: 2 teaspoons
- Cardamom: 0.5 teaspoon
- Nutmeg: 0.3 teaspoon
- Powdered sugar: 120 g
- Orange zest: 1 piece
2
In a water bath, melt the chocolate and butter. Add the remaining powdered sugar — 60 g — to the hot mixture. Remove from heat and add red wine. When the mixture cools to room temperature, slowly add the beaten egg and mix well. If you use semi-sweet or sweet wine instead of dry wine, reduce the sugar amount by half or more. The mixture should be sweet but not overly sweet.
- Dark chocolate: 120 g
- Butter: 100 g
- Powdered sugar: 120 g
- Red dry wine: 60 g
- Chicken egg: 1 piece
3
Add the liquid chocolate mass to the flour mixture and knead the dough. It's better to roll the dough into a ball and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
- Wheat flour: 250 g
4
Roll out the chilled dough to a thickness of 1 cm. Use shaped cutters to make cookies. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes at 150 degrees. If you want to make the cookies thinner, you should also reduce the baking time. During baking, the alcohol from the wine evaporates and gives the cookies a bright aroma.
- Red dry wine: 60 g
5
To finish, you can decorate the cookies with icing (whip 1 egg white, then add 200 grams of powdered sugar and mix well; the mixture should be thick. If the icing drips, add more powdered sugar or flour to thicken it).
- Chicken egg: 1 piece
- Powdered sugar: 120 g
- Wheat flour: 250 g
6
This amount of dough makes 2 trays of cookies from a home oven.