And here it is, after 5 long years of being in the wild in the Whip it Up(!) cookbook, Vis-à-vis on the wit and vinegar dot com.
This recipe is one of the few recipes that I still make every year around this time and every year I’ve said hey I need to definitely reshoot and post on the site because it’s kind of perfect?
I don’t want to toot my own horn and I don’t want to diminish what the regular snickerdoodle has done for generations and bringing families together but this cookie? She’s the cool cousin that comes every holiday that you’re like okay bitch your vibe intimidates me but I’m curious.
We’re staying in the snickerdoodle lane with the cream of tartar and cinnamon sugar coating but where we usually just have a collectively beautiful vanilla dough we’re swerving into another lane with cocoa and instant espresso powder.
The outcome is a chewy, slightly fudgy/tangy, deep chocolate cookie and a crispy cinnamon coating made with cane sugar for a slightly higher level of gloss and sparkle.
These cookies come together fairly easily and are even better if you make the dough the day ahead of time so you can ***plan ahead*** by a day for the cookie cravings.
Chocolate Espresso Snickerdoodles
Makes about 30
FOR THE DOUGH:
2 ¼ cups (293 g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (68 g) ( I prefer dutch baking cocoa because it gives a better color and flavor but you can use natural or a mix of the two)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (I use this one and no it really doesn’t come thru in flavor but it helps give a darker chocolate flavor that I love here)
1 cup ( 208 g) light brown sugar
¾ cup (150 g) white granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
FOR THE ROLLING:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons cane sugar (or granulated white sugar if you don’t have it I just like the extra sparkle it gives the cookie)
Sift together the flour, cocoa, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. (sifted cocoa powder here is a must or you can end up with clumps)
In another bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter, instant espresso powder, brown sugar, and white granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first one is completely blended before adding the second one with the vanilla extract. Then add the cocoa-flour mixture in at least 3-4 additions so it doesn’t fly everywhere, mixing just until combined. Scoop out the dough using a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop, cover the dough balls, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours to firm up.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Roll the scoops of dough into smooth round balls.
Combine the cinnamon and cane sugar in a small bowl and roll the dough balls in the cinnamon-sugar with your fingers to coat (don’t do the shake and go method of shaking the dish around to coat because only the cinnamon will stick then make it impossible for any sugar to share the spotlight. Place on the baking sheet 2 inches apart (8 cookies to a half sheet size) and bake for 12-14 minutes until slightly flattened and crackly (13 minutes is perfect for me). You want them to be a little under-baked to ensure maximum chew, they’ll look a little puffy and maybe underdone but they’ll fall as they cool. Please I beg of you do not over-bake. If you’re using a medium sized cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons) check at 11 minutes to start and see if they are baked and plan accordingly. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies for up to 1 week on the counter sealed in a container. Dough can be frozen prior to rolling in sugar, I’d maybe roll them in your hands before freezing and baking for 1-2 minutes longer.
