Chocolate Pepper Cookies

• 11/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)

• 13/4 cups granulated sugar

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

• 11/2 cups unsweetened cocoa, plus additional for rolling

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper

• Pinch cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 4 to 6 ounces semisweet chocolate (for decoration)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until mixture is fluffy. Sift together the flour, 11/2 cups cocoa, salt, black pepper, cayenne and cinnamon. Add to the butter mixture and beat until well-mixed; if dough seems too soft, add up to 1/4 cup more flour. Shape into a flattened disk, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Dust a cutting board with cocoa and roll out the dough until 1/8 inch thick. (It’s best to divide and roll out one-third of the dough at a time, leaving the remainder in the refrigerator.) Cut dough into desired shape with a cookie cutter and set cookies 1 to 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut out once more. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or just until crisp; do not allow to darken. Cool on racks. Melt the chocolate and drizzle randomly over the cooled cookies. You can do this by dipping a fork in the chocolate and then twirling it over the cookies. Allow the chocolate to set before serving