• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Little Vintage Baking

Modern Twists on Classic Baking Recipes and Cake Decorating

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials
  • Work with Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Tutorials
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Tutorials
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×

    Home » Cookies

    Chocolate Snickerdoodles (Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies)

    October 26, 2022 By Ashley 1 Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my privacy policy for more information.

    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.

    stacked cookies on cookie sheet

    These cookies have everything a classic snickerdoodle has, but with chocolate. They're incredibly decadent, delicious and absolute perfection.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love These Cookies
    • Recipe Ingredients
    • Recipe Instructions
    • Storing and Freezing
    • Tips For Perfect Cookies
    • FAQs
    • Recipe

    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

    whisked dry ingredients, beating butter with sugars

    Recipe Instructions

    Before beginning the recipe, preheat your oven to 350F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

    1. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, espresso powder, and cayenne (if using) in a medium bowl.
    2. Whisk together well, breaking up any lumps.
    3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar.
    4. Cream the mixture for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.
    5. Beat in the vanilla extract and and the first egg.
    6. Beat in the second egg.
    beating in the eggs and dry ingredients
    1. Scrape down the bowl to make sure the eggs are incorporated.
    2. Add the flour/cocoa mixture.
    3. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
    4. Scoop the dough into balls with a cookie scoop.
    5. Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon.
    6. Roll the scooped dough into balls. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
    7. Bake for 10 minutes until the tops are just set.
    scooping dough balls and rolling in cinnamon sugar mixture

    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.

    cookie with bite taken out to show texture

    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.
    close up of cookies on a sheet pan

    FAQs

    Can these be made gluten free?

    You can swap out the flour in this recipe for your favorite gluten free flour blend. My go to is Cup4Cup.

    Do you have to add cream of tartar to snickerdoodles?

    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

    Salted Honey Coffee Macarons

    Pistachio Cherry Linzer Cookies

    Espresso Toffee Chocolate Chunk Cookies

    Recipe

    chocolate snickerdoodles lined up on cookie sheet

    Chocolate Snickerdoodles (Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies)

    Soft and chewy spiced chocolate snickerdoodles
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings24 cookies
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time25 mins

    Equipment

    • Electric Stand Mixer
    • Cookie scoop (Medium, 2 tbsp)

    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.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookieCalories: 178kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 105mgPotassium: 112mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 277IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    « Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze
    Flourless Chocolate Brown Sugar Meringue Cake »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly Steward

      March 23, 2023 at 1:58 pm

      5 stars
      Made these at Christmas. They were delicious! Great chocolate flavor with a slow afterburn. SO good!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    avatar

    Hi, I’m Ashley! Welcome to the Little Vintage Baking blog – where you will find recipes, tutorials and more for bakers and cake decorators.

    More about me →

    Ashley's Favorite Recipes

    • Lavender Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies
      Lavender Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies
    • Fruity Pebble Cupcakes
      Fruity Pebbles Cupcakes
    • Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
      Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
    • side photo of the layers, brownie, caramel crunch, peanut butter nougat and chocolate ganache
      Salted Caramel Crunch Brownie Bars

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Shop

    Privacy Policy

    Subscribe

    Contact

    Instagram

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Little Vintage Baking, LLC | All Rights Reserved

    14 shares