Eat: Mexican Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies

My favorite ice cream place is Herrells, and my favorite ice cream is their Mexican Chocolate. When I started college they always had it, but as I got into my senior year they slowed down production of it... and eventually ceased making it. They made it twice in 2 years. It sells out within a day of making a batch. I never got bite of either of those batches.

Desperate, I took my cravings for something chocolate and spicy and started playing around with ratios of spices and cookie recipes until I created my favorite.

I have both a Vegan and Non-Vegan version for you to enjoy.
Non-Vegan:

• 1 Cup packed Brown Sugar
• ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ Teaspoon Salt
• ½ Cup White Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• ½ Tablespoon Cinnamon
• ½ Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ Cup Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Bag Chocolate Chips
• 2 ¾ Cups All-Purpose  Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Mexican Style Chili Powder*
• 1 Teaspoon Regular Chili Powder

* If you can’t find Mexican Style Chili Powder, just double the regular kind
1) Preheat oven to 375 F. Sift together dry ingredients (minus the flour). Mix together room temperature butter and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract until mixture is combined. Fold in as much of the flour as you can, and then stir in the chocolate chips.
2) Drop dough by the rounded tablespoon two inches apart, and slightly flatten with your palm. Bake for 7-10 minutes until tops look dry. Remove cookies from pan, and place on a cool surface (I like to use the non-printed-on inside of a brown paper bag).

Vegan:

• ½ Cup packed Brown Sugar
• ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ Teaspoon Salt
• ¼ Cup White Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
• ½ Tablespoon Cinnamon
• ⅔ Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
•  ¼ Cup Non-Dairy Milk (I use almond milk)
• 1 Bag (Vegan) Chocolate Chips
•  1 ½ Cups All-Purpose  Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Mexican Style Chili Powder*
• 1 Teaspoon Regular Chili Powder

1) Preheat oven to 375 F. Sift together dry ingredients (minus the flour). Mix together soymilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until mixture is combined. Fold in as much of the flour as you can, and then stir in the (vegan) chocolate chips.
2) Drop dough by the rounded tablespoon two inches apart, and slightly flatten with your palm. Bake for 7-10 minutes until tops look dry. Remove cookies from pan, and place on a cool surface.

I love to make a batch of these, divide the dough into 7 equal parts, sandwich bag it, and give it to friends with baking instructions. Placing the bags of cookie dough into a small mason jar and freezing it makes an excellent hostess gift.
Let me know how yours turn out!