The Unusual Ingredient You Should Add To Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maybe you have fond memories of the scent of chocolate chip cookies baking after a long day at school. And if you have continued to find yourself adoring this gooey chocolate dessert as an adult, you're not alone. According to Business Insider, Americans feast on 7 billion chocolate chip cookies per year, and around half of those consumed are prepared at home.

The classic chocolate chip cookie recipe's staple ingredients consist of flour, white and brown sugar, butter, eggs, and, most importantly, chocolate chips. Because they're a breeze to bake, preparing these treats is the perfect way to decompress in the evenings. It's also just a great recipe to try out if you are beginning your baking journey.

This time-honored favorite has been bringing joy to America's kitchens and beyond since the Great Depression (via The Sugar Association). But adding in a bit of punch to a dessert so dear to our hearts with a seemingly atypical ingredient might actually make you love chocolate chip cookies even more.

Cayenne pepper is a red pepper that offers just enough spice to add a dose of fun, tongue-tingling flavor to your meals. Often found ground into a powder, it may even benefit your heart health and, as Food.com is quick to point out, it can also help boost your chocolate chip cookies' taste with a touch of fieriness. For this spice-enhanced recipe, you will prepare your chocolate chip cookies as usual. The only change to your typical baking routine is throwing 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in with your dry ingredients.

Southern Kissed also instructs those making chocolate chip cookies with a little heat to go about preparing the treats as usual. However, if you are looking for a little less spice, the site suggests halving the amount of cayenne and only adding 1/4 teaspoon of pepper into your cookie mix. It's also recommended to use 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in your batter if you want to bring out the sweetness of your cookies.

If you are hoping to discover a new way to assemble your chocolate chip cookies that can make a delectable difference, Framed Cooks' Mexican-inspired cayenne cookie recipe suggests that the answer is time. After mixing in your cayenne pepper with your other ingredients, allow your dough to cool in the refrigerator for around 1 hour but no longer than a full day. Then bake your cookies at 350 degrees and prepare to snack on a spicily sweet treat.