Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles (AKA "The Spicy Zs")

vegan, soy-free, nut-free

Adapted from Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero's recipe in Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar
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This is a quick cookie recipe with standard ingredients that might already be in your pantry. The cayenne pepper gives them a little kick, so watch out!

cinnamon-sugar topping

ready to go into the oven!

Yield: about 24 large cookies  / Prep time: 15 min / Total time: 25 min

Ingredients:​
Topping:

• 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (3 g) cinnamon

​Cookie batter:

• ½ cup (107 g) neutral-tasting oil
• ½ cup (100 g) sugar
• 1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons (45 g) non-dairy milk
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract (or 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp chocolate extract)
• 1 2/3 cups (200 g) flour
• 1/2 cup (50 g) cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) cayenne

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine topping ingredients on a plate and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix vigorously with a fork the oil, sugar, maple syrup, and non-dairy milk.  Mix in vanilla extract and/or chocolate extract.
4. Add remaining ingredients*, and stir until a pliable dough is formed.
5. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and pat each ball into the topping mixture, gently pressing to flatten. Place each cookie, topping side up onto the cookie sheets.**
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are firm and a bit crackled on top. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets, then transfer to cooling rack.***

*If cocoa powder is lumpy, use a sifter or strainer to sift it into the bowl.
**The dough should be sticky enough so that you can lift each ball out of the topping mixture and flip it over onto the cookie sheet.
***These will keep for several days at room temperature in a cookie jar or for several months in the freezer.

My cookies rose a little more than usual this time, but they're usually flatter and cracklier. Tasty either way!