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Rich, fudgy and chewy, and coated in cinnamon sugar, these chocolate snickerdoodles are next level. Make these snickerdoodles Mexican chocolate style with a spicy pinch of cayenne.
These cookies have everything a classic snickerdoodle has, but with chocolate. They're incredibly decadent, delicious and absolute perfection.
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Why You'll Love These Cookies
- They're simple to make and the dough comes together quickly.
- NO chilling required. Always a win.
- No special ingredients or equipment required.
- They're soft, chewy and fudgy with slightly crisp edges.
- They have the same flavors and texture of classic snickerdoodles, but with added cocoa powder, cayenne and instant espresso/coffee.
Recipe Ingredients
All purpose flour
Cocoa powder - Dutch processed
Cream of tartar
Baking soda
Cinnamon
Salt
Instant espresso powder - optional, deepens the flavor of the chocolate
Cayenne powder - optional, gives the cookies a spicy kick
Unsalted butter
Brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Recipe Instructions
Before beginning the recipe, preheat your oven to 350F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, espresso powder, and cayenne (if using) in a medium bowl.
- Whisk together well, breaking up any lumps.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Cream the mixture for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla extract and and the first egg.
- Beat in the second egg.
- Scrape down the bowl to make sure the eggs are incorporated.
- Add the flour/cocoa mixture.
- Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Scoop the dough into balls with a cookie scoop.
- Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll the scooped dough into balls. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Bake for 10 minutes until the tops are just set.
Storing and Freezing
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
After scooping the dough into balls, refrigerate to firm up the dough. Place the dough balls into a freezer bag, or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to three months. I prefer to defrost the dough balls in the refrigerator before rolling in the cinnamon sugar mixture, but you can roll the dough balls in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and bake these directly from the freezer.
Tips For Perfect Cookies
- When the cookies come right out of the oven, scoot around them in circular motion with a large round cookie cutter. This helps the cookies get a perfect round shape.
- Don't over bake. They're done when the edges are set and the cookies are slightly puffed in the center. They'll deflate as they cool.
- Weigh the ingredients for the best results. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
FAQs
You can swap out the flour in this recipe for your favorite gluten free flour blend. My go to is Cup4Cup.
Yes. Cream of tartar adds the signature tang that can be tasted in snickerdoodles. It also reacts with the baking soda causing the cookies to rise and then fall, creating that crackly top.
If you make these chocolate snickerdoodles (Mexican hot chocolate cookies), let me know! Drop a comment or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your bakes!
Enjoy!
Ash xx
For more cookie recipes, check out these posts:
Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies
Pistachio Cherry Linzer Cookies
Espresso Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Recipe
Chocolate Snickerdoodles (Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies)
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder, Dutch process
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, espresso powder, and cayenne (if using) in a medium bowl.2 cups all purpose flour, ⅔ cup cocoa powder, Dutch process, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed and cream the mixture for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup light brown sugar, packed, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the vanilla extract, and the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- On low speed, add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated.
- Scoop the dough with a medium size/2 tablespoon ice cream scoop onto a lined cookie sheet.
- Roll the scooped dough into balls.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2" between the cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 10 minutes or until the tops look just set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Kelly Steward
Made these at Christmas. They were delicious! Great chocolate flavor with a slow afterburn. SO good!