Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Start by preparing your baking sheets; lining them with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat will ensure the cookies don’t stick and come out perfectly.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and cayenne (if using). This blend of dry ingredients is key to the cookie’s flavor, so make sure they’re well mixed before moving on.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, take your unsalted butter (make sure it’s at room temperature) and beat it until it’s smooth and fluffy. This can take about 2 to 3 minutes. The more air you incorporate, the lighter your cookies will be!
Add in the powdered sugar, along with the vanilla extract and almond extract. Beat for another minute or two until everything is combined and creamy.
Carefully add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. You want to avoid over-mixing; it can toughen the cookies.
Fold in the chopped sliced or slivered almonds. They’ll add that fantastic crunch and additional flavor to your cookies.
Scoop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls and roll them into 1-inch diameter balls. Make sure to leave about 1 to 2 inches of space between the cookies on the baking sheet, as they will spread while baking.
If you have two cookie sheets, fill both with your cookie balls. It’s totally efficient, and you can bake two sheets at once with this recipe!
Place the cookies in the oven and bake for about 18 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them; you’ll know they’re done when the tops are lightly cracked and no longer shiny. Rotate the sheets halfway through baking for even cooking.
Once they’re baked, let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the final touch, take a few spoonfuls of powdered sugar and a bit of cocoa powder (if desired) and put them in a small bag. Add 4 or 5 cooled cookies to the bag and shake gently until they’re completely coated. Tap off the excess sugar before serving.
Now, enjoy your Mexican Hot Chocolate Snowball Cookies! They’ll keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days, but I doubt they’ll last that long!
