You’re probably already familiar with the classic snickerdoodle: a soft baked cookie rolled in cinnamon and sugar with a beautiful cracked surface. Well now let me introduce you to the next level of snickerdoodles: the chocolate espresso snickerdoodle.
INGREDIENTS
Here’s what you’ll need to get these cookies baking this week!
- All purpose flour
- Cocoa powder. Either use a sifter or a mesh strainer to add into the flour. If you don’t you’ll wind up with little tiny clumps of cocoa throughout the flour and what we want is a smooth incorporation.
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Butter. It’s important that the butter is fully softened. If not, you won’t be able to cream it with the sugars and it will stay clumpy and lumpy.
- Sugars: white and dark brown.
- Baking soda
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Cream of tartar
- Instant espresso powder
There are two things that are making these a snickerdoodle and not just a regular chocolate cocoa cookie.
First: The cinnamon and sugar. There has to be cinnamon in the cookie dough and that classic cinnamon sugar topping. Don’t omit the cinnamon from the sugar. It pairs so nicely with the robust espresso and rich chocolate flavors.
Second: the cream of tartar. Anytime I make a cookie recipe that uses cream of tartar the most asked question is “Can I skip the cream of tartar?” And in the case of snickerdoodles, no you cannot. The cream of tartar acts as a leaving agent and helps these to retain their soft baked chewiness. It also helps create the appearance of the cracked surface that is a must in any snickerdoodle recipe! The good news is it’s inexpensive and can be found right in the baking aisle with the spices.
HOW TO MAKE ESPRESSO SNICKERDOODLES
Good news…these cookies are easy to make in a few basic steps! No chilling time needed on the dough either. Just mix, bake, eat!
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars. This is why it’s important that the butter is soft, if not you wont’ be able to get a smooth texture. So once you’ve got your softened butter, beat it with the espresso powder then both sugars for 2 minutes. Add each egg one at a time, then the vanilla and beat just until combined.
Step 2: Mix the dry. In another bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. As noted above, use a sifter or mesh strainer when you add the cocoa to the flour. This will prevent any little clumps from forming.
Step 3: Combine them together. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until combined. You can use your stand mixer for this, or if you’re like me with a tiny apartment kitchen and absolutely NO space for big appliances you can use your hands when it gets too difficult to stir.
Step 4: Form into your cookie dough balls, roll in the cinnamon and sugar topping.
Step 5: Bake!
COOKIE STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
Store these covered at room temperate and enjoy within 4 days for best texture and freshness.
Pro tip: For the “just from the oven” taste microwave a cookie for about 8 seconds. Thank me later.
Brown butter espresso brownies
Chocolate espresso cookies
Chocolate espresso muffins
Chocolate Espresso Snickerdoodles
A decadent twist on a snickerdoodle. Chocolate espresso snickerdoodles are made with a generous amount of espresso powder then rolled in cinnamon sugar to create the classic crackled topping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Baking
Ingredients
2 and 1/4 cups flour
1 stick of salted butter, softened
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 and 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
For rolling the cookies
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for rolling the cookie dough and set aside.
2. Cream the butter with the espresso powder first, then the dark brown sugar and white sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Beat in each egg one at a time, then lastly the vanilla just until combined.
3. In a large bowl add the flour and sift in the cocoa powder. Sifting will help prevent any clumps from the cocoa. Next stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, cream of tartar, and salt.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little at a time, using your hands at the end to fully form the cookie dough.
5. Form your cookie dough portions into even portions and roll in the cinnamon sugar topping. Bake for 9-10 minutes, then remove to a plate to cool.