Chocolate Red Hot Cookies
Yields: 12 cookies
 
These decadent chocolate cookies have the perfect amount of spice from the cinnamon candies: enough to taste the warmth without setting your mouth on fire. They’ll stay soft and chewy for an entire week if stored in an airtight container.
  • ⅔ c (80g) all-purpose flour (measured correctly)
  • ⅓ c (27g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured correctly)
  • ¼ tsp (1g) baking powder
  • ⅛ tsp (1g) salt
  • 2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract
  • ½ c (106g) light brown sugar
  • 36 red hot candies (about 1 ½ tbsp), crushed
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring until just incorporated. Fold in ⅔ of the crushed red hot candies.
  3. Drop the cookie dough into 12 rounded scoops onto the prepared baking sheet, and press the remaining crushed red hot candies into the tops. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Notes: For a stronger cinnamon spice taste, add an additional 6-12 red hot candies. To crush them, place the candies inside of a zip-topped bag. Press to seal, and seal that bag inside a second zip-topped bag. Gently pound on the candies with a hammer, meat mallet, or heavy pan until they’re lightly crushed.

It’s extremely important to measure both the flour and cocoa powder correctly with the spoon-and-level method (see the link above). Too much of either will dry out the cookies, and they won’t be soft and chewy.

{low fat, low calorie}
Recipe by Amy's Healthy Baking at https://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2015/01/21/chocolate-red-hot-cookies/