1½ cups all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (or less if you are faint-hearted)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, graded large
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and cinnamon and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and combine thoroughly. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until they are just incorporated. Refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.

When you are ready to bake, position an oven rack in the top of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with baking parchment or gr4ease them lightly.

Pinch off pieces of the chilled dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Place them on the lined or greased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Press a fork which has been dipped in flour or cocoa powder firmly into the top of each cookie, first in one direction, then across to form a criss-cross pattern. Reflour the fork as often as necessary to keep it from sticking to the dough. The cookies should be about ½ inch thick.

Bake 1 sheet at a time in the top part of the oven for 9 to 10 minutes or until the cookies feel almost firm to the touch. Rotate the cookie sheet front-to-back after 5 minutes and watch them carefully—they burn easily.

Store in a cookie jar with a loose-fitting lid.

Yield: 4 dozen cookies.

Copyright 1991 by Steffi Berne.

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