Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies Filled with Dulce de Leche
These chocolate cookies are spiced with cinnamon and a hint of chipotle powder and stuffed with a salted dulce de leche filling. The cookies bake up crispy on the outside and ooey-gooey in the middle for a delectable treat! You can use storebought dulce de leche or make it with my easy recipe.
Servings: 18 yield(s)
Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Ingredients
  • 6 tbsp dulce de leche
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
  • 210 g cups all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups)
  • 72 g cocoa powder (3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp chipotle or cayenne powder (or up to 1 1/4 tsp for more spice)
  • 172 g unsalted butter, softened (12 tbsp)
  • 66 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup )
  • 66 g dark brown sugar (1/3 cup packed)
  • 120 ml dark corn syrup (1/2 cup)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg white
  • 113 g bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (4 oz)
    • For the cinnamon Sugar
  • 66 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
  • 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp chipotle or cayenne powder
Instructions
    For the Dulce de Leche
  1. Stir the sea salt into the dulce de leche to combine.
  2. Place 18 teaspoon-sized dollops of the dulce de leche onto a baking sheet or plate and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. The dulce de leche will not harden but will be easier to handle.
    3. For the Cookie Batter
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chipotle powder, baking soda and salt.
  4. In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together corn syrup, egg white and vanilla.
  5. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars on medium speed, until thoroughly combined and mixture looks fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  6. On low speed, add in corn syrup mixture and mix to combine.
  7. Stir in flour mixture and chopped chocolate until combined.
  8. Place the batter in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
  9. Preheat your oven to 375 F/190 C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  10. After the batter has chilled, form balls with 2 tablespoons of batter at a time. You should have 16-18 balls total.
  11. Working with one ball at a time, form the ball into a bowl-like shape. Place one of the dulce de leche dollops in the centre and form the ball of dough back around the dulce de leche, making sure to seal it up completely in the middle of the ball. Place on one of your baking sheets while you prepare the rest of the filled dough balls.
  12. Combine 1/3 cup sugar with 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp chipotle powder in a small bowl. Roll the dough balls in the sugar to thoroughly coat the outside then place them back on your cookie sheets.
  13. Bake for 10-11 minutes until the tops looked dried out, rotating the trays halfway through baking, The middles will be quite soft still, do not over bake!
  14. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 5 minutes then move to a rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes

*I have received feedback that store-bought dulce de leche absorbs into the cookie so it's best to try with the home-made kind. It's easy to make, so I urge you to try it! ** The cookie batter can get quite sticky as it warms up when you are forming balls. A suggestion to avoid this would be to form the dough into a log shape, wrapped in plastic wrap, and freeze until firm. Then slice the dough into the portions you need.