Chocolate snickerdoodles- snickerdoodles with a twist! These soft and chewy chocolate snickerdoodle cookies are coated in cinnamon sugar and then baked to perfection with crispy edges and soft and gooey centers.
These chocolate snickerdoodles are my favorite twist on a classic cookie!
They have all the same flavors as my brown butter snickerdoodle cookies, like the cinnamon sugar coating and super chewy texture but with the addition of rich cocoa powder.
Chocolate cookies are a big favorite in my house, like chocolate thumbprint cookies, brownie cookies, and chocolate marshmallow cookies, so creating these chocolate snickerdoodles was a no-brainer!
If you're worried about the chocolate-cinnamon combination, don't worry, this is a classic combination and the flavors complement each other perfectly.
For more cookie recipes, try Chocolate Peanut Butter Marbled Cookies, Chocolate Chip Oreo Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies.
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why you'll love this recipe
- Rich chocolate flavor: If you love chocolate and snickerdoodles, you will love how rich and chocolatey these cookies are from the addition of dark cocoa powder.
- Soft and chewy: These cookies have perfectly crisp edges with soft and gooey centers. Every bite is chewy, chocolatey goodness!
- Classic snickerdoodle cookies: These cookies have all of the same flavors as a classic snickerdoodle, but the addition of cocoa powder makes them extra rich and special.
ingredient notes
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Unsalted butter: The butter can be substituted with salted butter if desired. I recommend leaving out the salt in the recipe otherwise they may be too salty!
- Cocoa powder: Dark cocoa powder is recommended for the richest chocolate flavor. My personal favorite is Guitard Dutch Cocoa.
- Dark brown sugar: You can substitute dark brown sugar for light brown sugar in a pinch. It shouldn't make a difference!
- Cream of tartar: This ingredient is important for the cookies to have their signature tangy flavor like the classic. If you are out, you can substitute it with lemon juice or white vinegar.
recipe instructions
Here's how to make these chocolate snickerdoodles! You will need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, and a large cookie scoop for this recipe. Before you start, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
STEP ONE: Cream the butter and sugar. In a stand mixing bowl, use the paddle attachment to cream the unsalted butter and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy, around 2-3 minutes.
STEP TWO: Mix in the wet ingredients. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is well-mixed.
STEP THREE: Fold in the dry ingredients. Fold in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until just combined and no more dry pockets of flour remain.
STEP FOUR: Scoop and chill the dough. Use a large, roughly 3 tablespoon, sized cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking pan. Chill the tray in the freezer until completely frozen solid, anywhere from 20-30 minutes. You can also chill the dough in the fridge for one hour.
STEP FIVE: Bake! Once completely frozen, roll the balls in cinnamon sugar. Then space them 3 inches apart on the baking tray. You will need to bake them on two trays so they have enough space to spread. Bake one tray at a time, leaving the other tray in the freezer to keep cold, at 350 F/180 C for 12-13 minutes or until the middle is puffy and slightly underbaked.
Let the cookie tray cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes 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.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
- Chill the dough. Chilling the dough is important and keeps the cookies from spreading flat while baking.
- Underbake the cookies. You should remove them from the oven when the edges are just set while the centers are puffy and slightly underbaked. If you prefer a more crisp cookie, let them bake 1-2 minutes longer than the indicated baking time.
storage & freezing
- Room temperature: Store the baked cookies in a sealed container or bag at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Freezer: To freeze the dough, scoop them onto a tray and freeze for 10-15 minutes. Then you can transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container to store for up to one month. You can bake them straight from the freezer.
- Make-ahead: You can make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for about 2-3 days.
faq's
Chocolate cookies can be hard to tell! Look for the middle to be slightly domed and puffy, but still have a damp center. They will continue to bake on the tray even after they're pulled out of the oven.
If the cookies are spreading a lot and are too flat, they weren't chilled long enough. Make sure they feel completely frozen solid before baking! It can also be caused by incorrectly measured flour or too soft butter as well.
Hard cookies are likely caused by over-mixing the dough, over-baking them, or a combination of both.
This recipe has not been tested with gluten-free flour but I would love to hear how they turn out!
related recipes to try
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
Chewy Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…› cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- ¼ tsp cinnamon, for rolling
Instructions
- Cream together the butter and dark brown sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the bowl to ensure everything is combined.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, cream of tartar, and baking soda and mix until just combined.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
- Use a large (roughly 3 tbsp) cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto a parchment lined baked tray.
- Chill the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes or until each ball feels completely frozen solid.
- When the dough is frozen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 C.
- Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl for rolling the cookies. Roll each dough ball until coated.⅛ cup granulated sugar, for rolling, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, for rolling
- Bake the tray on the middle rack in the oven for 12-13 minutes, or until the middles are slightly puffy but still have slightly damp centers.
- Let the tray cool on a wire rack before removing, they will set up as they cool. Enjoy!
Notes
- 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.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients creates a smooth, fully blended batter that will result in a uniform texture and even baking.
- Chill the dough. Chilling the dough is important and keeps the cookies from spreading flat while baking.
- Underbake the cookies. You should remove them from the oven when the edges are just set while the centers are puffy and slightly underbaked. If you prefer a more crisp cookie, let them bake 1-2 minutes longer than the indicated baking time.
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Afton says
These were so amazing!! I already put them into my go-to recipe book. They are chewy, the seasalt is amazing. Make sure to follow the recipe exact and don't over bake. So so yummy!! Highly recommended!
Beth says
These are some of the best cookies I've ever had. I made these yesterday, and I just had to pop back in and let you know how much we loved them!
Cambrea Gordon says
Thank you SO much Beth!! That makes me so happy to hear.
Elaine says
Fantastic snickerdoodle cookies... Yummy and so easy to make - exactly what I like when making cookies!
Tayler Ross says
I made these for my chocolate loving husband and he scarfed them down! I already need to make a double batch- they were so amazing!
Shadi says
I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing! I can't wait to try it soon!
Suja MD says
Truly amazing in taste and flavors in this recipe. Will definitely make again, very good recipe!
Cambrea Gordon says
Thank you Suja!
Abi says
These were perfect! So chocolatey and chewy
Cambrea Gordon says
I am so glad you liked them Abi! These cookies are my favorite! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review 🙂
Abi says
These cookies were absolutely delicious. I decorated the cookies with dark chocolate and sea salt menorahs for Hanukkah and everyone loved them!
cambreabakes says
Thanks so much for trying them Abi! I loved the photo you shared on Instagram.
Deon says
These are legit 🔥 absolutely delicious
cambreabakes says
I love to hear that!!!! Thanks for making them!
Melissa says
just when you thought snickerdoodles couldn’t get any better...these are GENIUS!!!!! I also loved that i didn’t need any cream of tartar, i always have lemons on hand!