Chocolate snickerdoodles - classic snickerdoodles with a rich and chocolatey twist! These chocolate cookies are soft and chewy with crispy edges and a Mexican chocolate flavor from the cinnamon sugar. They are perfect for chocolate lovers!
Cambrea Bakes is full of twists on traditional snickerdoodles - like brown butter snickerdoodles and apple butter snickerdoodles, but these chocolate snickerdoodles are my favorite!
They have the same tangy flavor as the classic cookies but with the addition of rich cocoa powder. I used my chocolate sugar cookie as the base and they turned out perfect! They taste just like Mexican hot chocolate cookies!
If you love these chocolate snickerdoodles, you must try my super popular Brownie Cookies, Chocolate Pecan Cookies, and Oreo Chocolate Cookies.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Thanks to the addition of dark cocoa powder, these chocolate snickerdoodles have a rich chocolate flavor that's perfect for a chocolate craving.
- These are chewy chocolate cookies with gooey centers and a hint of cinnamon in every bite.
- You only need one bowl and simple pantry ingredients to make this recipe!
- Chocolate snickerdoodles have all the same flavors as classic snickerdoodle cookies but in chocolate form. If you are a snickerdoodle fan, you will love this recipe (or my pumpkin snickerdoodles!).
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Cocoa powder: Rich chocolate cookies, like my chocolate thumbprints, required unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder. My favorite brand is Ghiradelli. You can use natural cocoa powder but the results will not be the same!
Brown sugar: This recipe calls for dark brown sugar but can easily be substituted for light brown sugar when needed.
Cream of tartar: This is a key ingredient in snickerdoodle cookies because it creates a chewy texture and tangy flavor. If you don't have any on hand, white vinegar or lemon juice will work as well.
Cinnamon: Another key ingredient to snickerdoodles is ground cinnamon. You can leave it out if desired, they will just be normal chocolate sugar cookies.
Find the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions in the recipe card below!
How to Make Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Before you start, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar. In a stand mixing bowl or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Mix in the wet ingredients. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined.
Step 3: Mix in the dry ingredients. Mix in the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until just combined.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is well combined.
Step 4: Scoop and chill. Scoop the chocolate snickerdoodle cookie dough onto the prepared baking tray. Chill the tray in the freezer for 3-4 hours, overnight is best!
Step 5: Roll in cinnamon sugar. Roll the dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture until well coated, then place them back on the baking tray spaced 2-3 inches apart (You will need to bake the whole batch on two baking trays).
Step 6: Bake! Bake the first tray (keeping the other in the freezer) for 12-13 minutes, or until the top of the cookies are crackled and puffy. Let the tray cool on a wire cooling rack before removing, then enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card. If you do not have a scale, use a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended dough that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
- Don't skip the chilling time! While many cookie recipes require zero chilling time, this step is important for flavor development, texture improvement, and reduced spreading. All of these contribute to a cookie that is tender and well-rounded in flavor!
- Underbake the cookies. Remove the chocolate snickerdoodles from the oven when the middle is crackled but still underbaked. If you prefer a more crisp cookie, let them bake for 1-2 minutes longer than the indicated baking time.
Recipe FAQs
Snickerdoodles are unique sugar cookies that are rolled in a mixture of cinnamon sugar before baking.
Chocolate cookies can be hard to tell - look for the top of the cookie to be crackled and puffy. They will continue to bake out of the oven on the hot tray, so even if they are underbaked they will turn out perfect!
Cookies will not be soft and chewy if the cookie dough has been over-mixed or over-baked.
This recipe has not been tested with gluten-free flour but I would love to hear how they turn out!
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. I recommend waiting to roll them in the cinnamon sugar until right before baking. I found that the sugar tends to melt over time in the freezer.
Yes! A two-tablespoon cookie scoop will yield about 18 small cookies. A three-tablespoon scoop will yield 9-10 large cookies.
other chocolate cookie recipes you'll love
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you're there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Chewy Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Equipment
- large 3-tbsp cookie scoop for thinner cookies, use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, for larger thicker cookies use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar packed
- 1 large whole egg room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour *see notes below for measuring*
- ¼ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon for rolling
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a stand mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar
- Then mix in the egg and vanilla extract.1 large whole egg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda until JUST combined. Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls or 3 tablespoon-sized balls (for larger thicker cookies) onto the prepared baking sheet. Chill the dough in the freezer for 3-4 hours, overnight is best!1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
- Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Roll each frozen cookie dough ball in the mixture until well coated, then place them on a baking sheet spaced 2-3 inches apart. You will need to bake them in 2 batches to not crowd the pan. Keep the rest of the dough balls in the freezer until ready to bake!¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes for smaller cookies, or 12-13 minutes for larger cookies, until the tops are crackled and the edges are set. Let the tray cool on a wire rack before removing them. Enjoy!
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can freeze the cookie dough in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. I recommend waiting to roll them in cinnamon sugar until right before baking, otherwise the sugar will start to melt in the freezer.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Breanna says
The flavor of these cookies are amazing! However, I've made them a few times now and they always end up flat as pancakes. I follow the instructions to a T, including chilling the dough for 24 hours. Any tips on what I'm doing wrong?
Cambrea Gordon says
I'm sorry to hear that Breanna, are you using true room temperature butter? I always stick a thermometer into the stick- it should read between 64-68F. If not, you could add 1-2 tbsp of extra flour to the cookie dough. Other reasons why this can happen with cookies: living in a humid environment (there's extra moisture in the dough) or if your oven temperature runs slightly cooler than 350 F/180 C. I hope this is helpful!
Melinda says
Perfect for my cookie friday treat!! Sooooo delicious!