The inspiration for these cookies was the pairing of chocolate and cinnamon in Mexican hot chocolate. While it’s been brought to my attention recently that hot chocolate with cinnamon may not be an authentically Mexican combination, it still makes for a bangin’ cookie. Because I personally like it spicy, I added chili powder and cayenne pepper to up the heat ante and I chose unsweetened chocolate to dip and drizzle over the macaroons because the bitter bite plays off the pepper and results in a very unusual-tasting treat. On that note, this cookie is best enjoyed by those with mature and adventurous taste-buds: the complex flavors are primarily spicy and bitter, only minimally mitigated by honey and the natural sweetness of unsweetened coconut.

I captured the cookies right after they met chocolate for Instagram…

Makes 10 Cookies

• 2 1/2 Cups Shredded Coconut, unsweetened
• 2 Tsp Coconut Flour
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 3 Egg Whites
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon
• 3/4 Tsp Chili Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 4 Oz Chocolate, unsweetened

1. Preheat over to 350F, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Measure shredded coconut into a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the coconut flour, cinnamon, chili powder, cayenne and salt to the coconut and mix thoroughly.
4. Pour the honey over the mixture and toss to coat.
5. Mix the egg whites into the coconut mixture.
6. Press a scant handful of the coconut mixture into a round coffee-measuring spoon, and press firmly until tightly packed. Invert the measuring spoon and tap the handle against a hard surface until the macaroon is dislodged. Repeat this process with the remaining macaroon dough.
7. Place the macaroons on the cookie sheet, spaced approximately 1/2 inch apart (they will rise but not spread).
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the macaroons are brown but not signed. Remove from the oven and chill completely.
9. Melt the chocolate (I used the double-boiler method) and dip the chilled macaroons into the chocolate, using fingers or a fork to lower them in. Submerge to your preferred depth, I did approximately 1/4 inch of coating.
10. To make the chocolate striping on top, dip the tines of a fork into the melted chocolate and drizzle the cookies by moving the fork in a slashing movement the air above them.