Chocolate-Chipotle Bizcochitos

The classic Mexican cookie in its chocolate form, full of chipotle and cinnamon flavor.

Chocolate-Chipotle Bizcochitos

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling
1/3 cup Hershey's Dark Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus an additional 2 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 ounces melted semi-sweet chocolate (Optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large sheet pan, or line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, shortening, and 1/3 cup sugar, until creamy. Beat in vanilla, egg, orange juice, and chipotle, until well combined. Beat in flour mixture until just combined.
Chill dough in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Lightly flour a work surface, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out cookies using cookie cutters, and place on prepared baking sheet.
Stir together the additional 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, until combined. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over cookies.

Bake at 350 degrees F, for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Decorate the cookies by piping melted chocolate onto them.

Yield: Depends on the size of the cookie cutters