Before you freak out at the thought of smoked paprika and cayenne pepper in a cookie, think back to a time when salted caramel sounded noveau and outlandish. We’re now beyond peak salted caramel (as evidenced by salted caramel Toffee Pops), but fear not: adding smoke and heat to the sweet/salty duo takes things to the next level.

Salty smoky chocolate brownie cookies are a delight eaten warm from the oven, and make bloody fab ice cream sandwiches with a scoop of good quality vanilla. 

Salty smoky chocolate brownie cookies

Adapted from a Bon Appétit recipe 

pumpkin seeds ¾ cup

gluten free or plain flour 1 & ¼ cups

cocoa powder ¼ cup

salt 1 teaspoon

baking soda ½ teaspoon 

ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon  

smoked paprika 3/4 teaspoon

cayenne pepper a large pinch

brown sugar ¾ cup

white sugar ½ cup  

butter 150g, softened

free range egg 1

dark chocolate ½ cup, roughly chopped (I used Whittaker’s 72% Dark Ghana)

flaky sea salt

Preheat to 180°C. Toast pumpkin seeds on a large rimmed baking pan, tossing occasionally, until golden brown – about 8–10 minutes. Let cool.


Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and cayenne in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer or food processor, cream brown and white sugars and butter together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate and pumpkin seeds.


Portion dough into 10 balls and place onto a flat oven tray lined with baking paper. Space the cookies about 10cm apart to allow for spreading while they bake. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with flaky sea salt and bake until the edges are slightly browned and firm but the centres are still soft – about 15 minutes. Rotate the tray halfway through the baking time to ensure the cookies bake evenly. Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool.