Cinnamon Chocolate Cookies transforms my classic snickerdoodle recipe into chocolate snickerdoodles! These soft and chewy cookies are loaded with chocolate chips and then coated in cinnamon and sugar!
You don’t need to chill the dough before baking which means it is a quick and easy recipe that can be made in 30 minutes.
Chocolate Cinnamon Cookies
These cinnamon chocolate cookies are a fun twist on my cinnamon chip cookies and my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! The subtle warm spices from the cinnamon and chocolate are perfect in these cookies. It’s a little bit like sipping on a cup of Mexican hot cocoa or eating Mexican hot chocolate cookies. You’ll love the cozy combination.
The combination of cinnamon and chocolate is a little bit unusual, but I’m sure you’ll love it! Cinnamon adds a sweet and warm flavor. I love adding cinnamon to my Hot Fudge Cake, too! Maybe I should add chocolate chips to my Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy! This recipe can be made in minutes without having to chill the dough. You’ll need simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry and refrigerator.
- The best chocolate flavor! Chocolate desserts are the BEST desserts! These cookies have double chocolate in them. The dough is made with cocoa and then it’s loaded with chocolate chips. It’s perfect for the chocolate lovers!
- Tried and true! I’ve made these cookies so many times and they are always a hit! It’s easy to make a double batch!
Ingredients
For a complete list of ingredients scroll to the bottom of the post.
Snickerdoodles are a little bit different than traditional cookies because they have a couple of extra ingredients. The rest of the ingredients are regular cookie ingredients.
- Cream of Tartar: Cream of tartar essential in snickerdoodles. It gives the cookies that tangy flavor. You can find it in the baking aisle at your local grocery store.
- Ground Cinnamon: You get the warm sweet cinnamon flavor because it’s mixed in the dough, and then the cookies are rolled in cinnamon and white sugar mixture.
- Cocoa Powder: I use natural cocoa powder. You can also use Dutch process cocoa powder. Dutch cocoa powder is darker in color and more intense in flavor.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or a combination.
Instructions
Making chocolate cinnamon cookies is almost as easy as making your favorite homemade chocolate chip cookies. The only difference is that you’ll roll the cookie dough balls in cinnamon and sugar before baking.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Add ground cinnamon and sugar to a shallow small bowl and set aside. We’ll use it for coating the cookie dough.
Step 2: Add room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl of a stand mixer. Using a paddle attachment beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add eggs, vanilla extract, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Add all purpose flour and cocoa to the wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate (this keeps the flour from flying all over). Use the paddle attachment on the electric mixer to finish mixing at low speed. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 5: Add chocolate chips to the flour mixture. Stir to incorporate.
Step 6: Use a cookie scoop to drop the cookies. Roll the cookies in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Set on prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart from each other.
Step 7: Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes and then move to a wire cooling rack. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Tips for Success
- Use room-temperature butter! You don’t want over-softened butter. It will create flatter cookies.
- Don’t overmix the dry ingredients! Overmixing creates tough cookies. Adding the baking soda, salt, cream of tartar, and cinnamon to the wet ingredients gives them plenty of time to get mixed.
- Use a cookie scoop for uniform and evenly baked cookies. I like using a medium-sized cookie scoop. For smaller cookies use a smaller scoop and reduce the baking time.
- Don’t overbake the cookies! The top of the cookies should be slightly cracked.
- Chill the dough for extra thick cookies! I never chill the dough because I don’t usually have time to wait and they still turn out perfectly! You can chill the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes. Be sure to cover the dough with plastic wrap. This will create thick cookies with chewy centers.
- Make spicy cookies! Add a dash of cayenne pepper or chili powder to make spicy chocolate cookies. Start with just a little bit (1/8 teaspoon) and then add more if you want more spiciness.
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to three days. Layer cookies in a single layer separated by wax paper. No need to refrigerate. Add a slice of white bread to keep the cookies soft. Microwave cookies for a few seconds and they will be warm, gooey on the inside, and taste like they just came out of the oven!
This cookie dough freezes well. This is how I freeze the cookie dough
- Shape cookies into dough balls, but don’t roll in sugar.
- Set on a baking sheet and freeze until firm.
- Remove and store in an airtight freezer container for up to three months.
How to bake frozen cookies
- Thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours. Roll in cinnamon and sugar. Then bake as directed.
- Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Roll in cinnamon and sugar, and bake as directed.
Other Easy Cookie Recipes
Here are a few of our favorite cookie recipes!
- Ranger Cookies with Cornflakes
- Chocolate Chip Rice Krispie Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
- Butterscotch Bar Cookies
Cinnamon Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 2/3 cups flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa
- 1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips
Cinnamon and Sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs, vanilla, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Beat until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add flour and cocoa. Stir with a spoon to incorporate (this keeps the flour from flying all over). Use the paddle attachment on the electric mixer to finish mixing. Be careful not to overmix.
- Add chocolate chips. Stir.
- Add ground cinnamon and sugar to a shallow bowl.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop the cookies. Roll the cookies in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Set on prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart from each other.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2023 with new images and text.
Mary king says
I tried this recipe and it was delicious! I needed more cinnamon and sugar but that was an easy fix. I have one question. From the picture they look bigger then mine and a bit flatter. Just wondered if i may have done something wrong. This is definitely a keeper recipe!!!!!
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you loved them! There are so many factors in making thick cookies.
1. Temperature of butter: It needs to be room temperature, but not too soft. Soft butter makes thinner cookies.
2. Measure flour exactly: I don’t use the spoon and level method for measuring flour. I know that’s technically the correct way to measure flour, but who has time for that? I just scoop and level which would add more flour to the recipe.
3. Expired ingredients: Baking soda, powder, and cream of tarter lose their leavening ability after it expires.
Hopefully, that helps!
Genevieve says
Hi!
How soon can I make them for Christmas?
Can they be freeze? For how long?
Thanks!
Amy Engberson says
I’ve never tried freezing these cookies before, although it should work just fine. I’m guessing they’d last a couple of weeks if they’re frozen in an airtight container. Let me know how it goes!
Sherry Dietrich says
I baked these cookies this past weekend, and I just got a Wolf oven and was using convection for the first time! I used the 400F and baked for 8 min. burned. Baked the next 2 batches for 6 min. Those were better, but still burned the bottoms a little. Thinking I’ll change the temp to 375 and bake for 8 min.
But have to say, even the badly burned bottomed ones were delicious! And everyone at work loved the ones I brought in, that weren’t burnt!
Amy Engberson says
Getting a new Wolf oven would be like Christmas! How fun is that? Sounds like you are having a great time trying to get to know each other! These cookies do taste pretty good! Especially for chocolate lovers like me!
Melissa says
All purpose or self rising flour?
Amy Engberson says
I use all purpose flour! Happy Fall!
Cathy Trochelman says
Such a cute story, and such perfect chocolate cookies! I can’t wait to make these!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
Snickerdoodles are our favorite cookies! This chocolate version looks incredible!
Michelle De La Cerda says
“Tis the season of ginger cookies! I love them. I love this recipe and I can’t wait to try it out.
Des @ Life's Ambrosia says
I Must admit I am not usually a snicker doodle fan but chocolate snicker doodles? That is something I can get behind!
Lora @savoringitaly says
I have an darling friend who just LOVES snickerdoodles…I’ve got to share this recipe with her and bake a batch for my kids!! They look great!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
A genius idea to fuse snickerdoodles and chocolate cookies!
Amy Engberson says
I can’t help myself…I add chocolate to EVERYTHING! It just seems like the right thing to do!