Yay, it’s finally Christmas week! Does anyone else feel like Christmas spirit is going to be waayyy up this year since Christmas is on a Sunday? I mean, we have the entire week to soak it all up! You can wear Christmas socks all week, listen to holiday music at all hours of the day, watch Home Alone on repeat, and stick red and green M&M’s in your peanut butter sandwiches…. hmm, just me on that last one, maybe? Sorry, I may be writing this on a cookie-fueled sugar high…
I think I’m more excited for Christmas Eve than Christmas. I decided that we should do a themed Christmas Eve this year just to change things up, so we’re having a Mexican Christmas Eve… Feliz Navidad!
Besides guacamole and salsa and green & red tortilla chips, I’m not really sure what our Feliz Navidad meal is going to consist of yet. I need your help! If you have any good Mexican main or side dishes, link them in the comments or email me, please! I will repay you in delicious cookie recipes. 
Fittingly, I’ve got a Mexican-ish cookie for you today! Ever since my dissatisfaction with cinnamon M&M’s, I’ve had chocolate and cinnamon on the mind, so I decided to make these flourless Mexican hot chocolate cookies! So soft they literally melt in your mouth… chock full of quality cocoa, subtly spiced with cinnamon and (optional!) chile powder… yes, they are as good as they sound. Best served with a cup of… Mexican hot chocolate! 
Super-soft chocolate cookies spiced with cinnamon and chile powder — these are sure to warm you right up! Makes 4 dozen Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes per cookie sheet (~4 cookie sheets) Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a shallow dish, stir the powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until mixed. In the same bowl, add the baking powder and salt and beat until mixed. Add the cocoa cinnamon, and chile powder, and beat on medium speed until mixed well. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, then roll into the powdered sugar mixture (if dough becomes too soft to roll, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes). Place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets and setting onto wire racks to cool completely.
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OMG, Liz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am doing a “Feliz Navidad” xmas eve, too! It was a totally random idea I had to make an easy dinner for everyone coming. I’m doing beef and pork and then just a taco bar! So funny!
Haha, we are too similar!! I like the idea of a taco bar – no fuss. Maybe I will do something like that!
These look delicious! I made your nutella cookies for a party this weekend and they were delicious! Thanks
hmmm… I like fish tacos? Ooooh what about Mexican corn? On the cob with something that’s delicious and creamy on the outside of it? I don’t have a recipe but it’s one of my favorites to order at a Mexican restaurant.
I saw that you mentioned the nutella cookies – glad they turned out well, and thank you!
I love fish tacos! Unfortunately I think my finicky family would not approve, ha! I may need to do something with corn though!
Recommendations for chile powder?
I just used McCormick, that’s all I had!
Wow, I’m surprised that these started with sugar cookie dough! This is kind of awesome when it comes to holiday baking multitasking–I could use more recipes like this!
Oh, and I love love love Mexican hot chocolate!
I agree, holiday multitasking in the kitchen is a must!
I’ve actually never had Mexican hot chocolate, ha!
ahh i love your theme! here are a few of my favorite Mexican dishes from my blog…hopefully something catches your eye
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2011/04/stacked-roasted-vegetable-enchiladas.html
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2010/11/kale-bean-enchiladas-with-pumpkin-sauce.html
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2011/09/baked-black-beans-with-chorizo.html
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2011/05/mexican-salad-with-pomegranate-lime.html
http://www.thesweetslife.com/2011/05/black-beans-and-coconut-lime-rice.html
Oooo, the baked black beans with chorizo look delicious! You just serve with chips, love that!
yes! i love that it is on Sunday. It almost feels “real” if that makes any sense. haha. Love the mexican twist here!
Yes, a holiday on a holy day!
How are these flourless when they use a cookie dough that is made from flour?
Sorry, I just read the ingredients, not the instructions. Gotcha now!
Haha, glad you figured it out! Once the holidays are over I’m probably going to re-write these recipes so they’re a bit easier to follow (i.e., not linking to the sugar cookie dough by default – that’s me being lazy!)
These are going to be awesome for the three people in my family who are gluten free! I have one question though, When you say, instead of adding flour to the sugar cookie dough recipe to add 2 cups of cocoa…is that in addition to the cocoa already called for in the mexican hot chocolate cookie recipe or the same thing? Thanks for the clarification! I can’t wait to make these for our family Christmas on Friday!
Liz
It is the same thing – 2 cups of cocoa total! Let me know if you make them
Cooking Light has a REALLY good white bean and turkey chili recipe. I usually make it with rotisserie chicken, add spicey diced tomatoes and garnish is with a couple tortilla chips and a sprinkle of cheese.
My guests almost always ask for the recipe. I even had some friends invite themselves over for dinner one night with a request for this dish!
Mmm, I’m a sucker for chili! Just had it for dinner tonight, actually
I’m definitely keeping that in mind as an idea for Christmas Eve… maybe with a Mexican twist!
To make up for my earlier mistake, here’s a couple of seafood ideas for your Mexican Christmas Eve from a chef I like. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/nov/14/mexican-recipes-christmas-seafood
Will definitly give this recipe a try! You might try the Crockpot taco chicken, very simple with few ingredients and you can pretty much put it with any thing you want. Like mexican corn caserole, yummy!
These look super yummy! …but they are not flourless…
They are flourless – since you replace the called for flour in the base recipe with cocoa. I’m actually in the middle of updating all of these recipes to read as-is (i.e., no referring to the base recipe) so that there’s no more confusion!
Great recipe! I cooked them for a gluten-free treat at a Super Bowl party and they were very well received by young and old alike. Thanks!
Those are one my favorites, thanks for the feedback!
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