Mexican Chile Chocolate Cookies (Hot Aztecs) - Mother Linda's

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups maple sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs (large)
• 3 cups spelt or whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or 6 arbole and 2 pasilla chiles, dried and ground fine)
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt