Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Devil's Delight Cookies

The recipe: Devil's Delight Cookies

Why you should bake: Because carefully inserting cayenne pepper, cinnamon and other heat-generating spices into chocolate is always a happy occasion. And because they're a secret-ingredient version of the same-old, same-old chocolate crinkle cookie.

Degree of difficulty: A relatively simple drop cookie.

What we didn't tell you: The original recipe called for Vosges Red Fire chocolate bars, but the company no longer produces them. Any similarly sized chocolate-chile bar will do, and there are a number of them on the market. Green & Black's dark chocolate Spiced Chili bar is a fine substitute.

Fun fact: Baker Michelle Clark found inspiration at St. Paul's Legacy Chocolates. Her minor obsession with the store's dark chocolate-chipotle truffle got her thinking: Could it translate into a cookie? Clark kicked the idea around for a few weeks, and then remembered the Christmas presents she bestowed upon friends: Vosges chocolate bars with chipotle and cinnamon. Eureka. And, hurrah.

DEVIL'S DELIGHT COOKIES

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Note: From 2005 winner Michelle Clark of St. Paul.

In a double boiler over gently simmering water, melt bittersweet chocolate until smooth. Remove from heat and cool melted chocolate for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cayenne pepper and salt, and reserve. In a bowl of an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until mixture is pale, light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add lukewarm melted chocolate and vanilla extract, and mix until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in flour mixture, and then fold in chopped chocolate bar and cinnamon chips.

In a small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.