Name: Chocolate Snickerdoodles
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 36
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Cookies; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 1 ¼ cups softened butter; 2 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 3 ½ cups flour; ¼ cup cocoa powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar; TOPPING; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

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Easy Chocolate Snickerdoodles are simple sugar cookies that have been flavored with cocoa powder and then rolled in a cocoa sugar coating for an intense chocolaty flavor that everyone will enjoy.

Easy Chocolate Snickerdoodles

My whole family loves to eat Traditional Snickerdoodles, and I also love to eat chocolate. So, my Chocolate Snickerdoodles are the ultimate combination!

This easy snickerdoodle recipe can be prepared and baked in 20 minutes, making this one of my favorite quick and easy bakes with the kids and grand-kids. They can do most of the work themselves and being a quick recipe they don’t get bored waiting for the cookies to bake.

This recipe also makes a big batch of 36 cookies, so is great for parties with family and friends, bake sales, or PTA events at the school too.

If you like playing with flavors in your kitchen as much as I do then try my Easy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles and Holiday Peppermint Snickerdoodles, or have a look at some other great suggestions later in this post.

What is the difference between a snickerdoodle and a cookie?

Snickerdoodles and cookies are very similar in that they are both formed from a basic cookie dough. The main difference is that snickerdoodles contain cream of tartar, which gives a snickerdoodle that distinctive tangy flavor. Snickerdoodles are also traditionally rolled in sugar coating before being baked.

How to make my Chocolate Snickerdoodle recipe:

Preheat the oven to 375F.
Combine sugar and butter in a mixing bowl.

Once the mixture is nice and smooth, add the eggs and vanilla extract.

Beat or mix again until a smooth consistency.

In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.

Slowly stir those into the butter mixture until the cookie dough is well mixed.

Mix the sugar and cocoa powder for the sugar topping either in a bowl or on a plate.
Roll the cookie batter into 2-inch size balls. To make things easier, I like to use a cookie scoop (see link and image below).
Then roll each ball in the chocolate sugar coating.
Place each ball of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet.
Press each ball of dough down to flatten.

OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop

Place the cookie sheet into the hot oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
When baked, remove the sheet from the oven and set the cookies onto a wire rack.
Allow the cookies to cool a little before enjoying.

Recipe ingredients & substitutions:

SUGAR: I use white granulated sugar in this cookie dough.
BUTTER: you can use either salted or unsalted butter, either will work. Just ensure the butter is softened to make it easier to combine with the sugar.
EGGS: I add 2 eggs to the cookie dough.
FLAVORINGS: I use a combination of both cocoa powder and vanilla extract to flavor these cookies.
FLOUR: I use all purpose flour for these chocolate snickerdoodle cookies.
SALT: I add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt to the cookie dough, salt helps balance out the other sweet flavors.
RAISING AGENTS: I use a combination of both baking soda and cream of tartar in the cookie dough. Cream of tartar adds that sour tang to the dough that we come to expect in a snickerdoodle cookie.
TOPPINGS: I coat these chocolate snickerdoodles with a coating both sugar and cocoa powder to add a real intensity of chocolate flavor.

Recipe variations:

This is a really versatile recipe and you can easily adapt the flavors to suit your own taste. Using the sugar cookie dough recipe as a base you can also make these cookies with a variety of other flavors. Here are some ideas:

Add some grated orange zest to both the cookie dough and the cocoa sugar coating for a chocolate orange snickerdoodle cookie.
A teaspoon of cinnamon can be added along with the cocoa powder in the cookie sugar coating.
Lemon zest and juice can be added to the cookie dough, then coated in a lemon sugar coating for a lighter spring fresh cookie.
You can also play with the cookie toppings. Add different colors of sugar coating for different holidays throughout the year. For example pumpkin spice for fall or crushed peppermint candy canes for the festive season.

Recipe hints & tips:

I recommend taking the butter out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking the cookies. This will allow the butter to soften and make it easier to cream together with the sugar.
Line the cookie sheet with some baking parchment, this helps stop the cookies from sticking to the sheet.
This recipe will make roughly 36 cookies, but can be easily doubled if you are feeding a crowd over the festive holidays. You can also use half the dough now, and freeze the remaining cookie dough for another day.

FAQs

Do you flatten snickerdoodles before baking?

Yes, always press the ball of cookie dough to flatten it before baking the cookies. This will ensure the cookies remain flat and stops the dough from puffing up in the oven.

Why do you add cream of tartar to snickerdoodles?

Cream of tartar is more acidic than baking powder, which gives a slight sourness to the cookie dough and results in the slightly tangy flavor we all expect from snickerdoodles.

Why are my snickerdoodle cookies hard?

If your cookies are too hard then you may be baking them at too low a temperature, which means you have to cook them longer and they dry out in the oven. I suggest baking the cookies for 8-10 minutes at 375F.

How long will snickerdoodles stay fresh?

Once baked and cooled, place the cookies into an airtight container and store on the counter top at room temperature for up to 7 days (although they rarely last that long in my kitchen).

Can I freeze snickerdoodle cookies?

Once baked and cooled, place them in a single layer into an airtight container. If freezing multiple layers, place a sheet of baking parchment between each layer to stop them cookies sticking together. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Can you freeze snickerdoodle cookie dough?

Yes, cookie dough freezes really well. Once combined I like to roll and flatten the raw cookie dough before placing it into an airtight container and freezing for up to 3 months.

Don’t miss these additional delicious Cookie Recipes here at When Is Dinner:

Yield: 36

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Cookies
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 ¼ cups softened butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 ½ cups flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
TOPPING
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine sugar and butter in a mixing bowl.
Once the mixture is nice and smooth, add the eggs and vanilla.
Beat or mix again until a smooth consistency.
In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.
Slowly stir those into the butter mixture until the cookie dough is well mixed.
Mix the sugar and cocoa powder for the topping either in a bowl or on a plate.
Roll batter into 2-inch size balls.
Place on cookie sheet.
Press each ball of dough down to flatten.
Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Notes

Makes 18 (2-inch balls) or 36 (1-inch balls)

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 148Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 104mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 2g