These Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies could also be called Chocolate Snickerdoodles. A moist and tender chocolate cookie, with slightly crisp edges and a perfectly crackly top, rolled in cinnamon sugar for the perfect chocolate-cinnamon combo! Originally published August 24, 2018.
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I just bought a dresser from someone on Craigslist yesterday. Charlotte and Truman share a dresser, and we’ve been at the point for a WHILE now, where when all of the laundry is done, you can’t exactly shut the drawers without putting your back into it.
The reason I haven’t bothered to buy one before now is because 1) I’m super cheap and 2) the laundry is NEVER all done at the same time. (All the other moms are out there chuckling with me right now, right? Who ever has all the laundry done??) So the work of shutting too-full drawers is a pretty rare occasion thanks to my housework negligence.
Anyway, we show up at this guy’s house to buy the dresser, all 3 kids in tow. He was an adorable old man who was very hard of hearing, who called me immediately every time I texted him with questions about the dresser, instead of texting back. He must have a business flipping dressers because his porch was full of dozens of freshly painted white ones. We load it up into the van, and then his eyes get a sparkle in them and he says, Wait! Do your kids like toys? (Cue the “dun dun DUN” music)
He takes us over to a dresser with a bunch of stuff on top: glow sticks, toy trucks, and 3 of the CREEPIEST porcelain dolls I’ve ever seen, like straight out of Sid’s room in Toy Story level creepy, guys. Chipped fingers, dirt smears, oh and did I mention it smelled like the dude smokes a lot, so they aren’t exactly fresh. He’s like, would your daughter like one of these? And Charlotte’s face lights up, of course. And I say, very politely, No, I don’t think so, thank you. He gives me this look of utter disbelief and says, Why does EVERYONE say that? Nobody seems to want these dolls! They’re nice!
Oh dear. So I say, okay, how much? (Maybe I can convince him we can’t afford it??) And he’s like, That’s the thing, they’re FREE! She can choose whichever one she likes!
So here we are, 24 hours later, with a slightly-less-creepy porcelain doll now that Charlotte has meticulously cleaned it with baby wipes and spent hours dressing the smelly thing in every set of dolls clothes she owns. Why do I buy my children nice things?? Whyy????
You will love this Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie Recipe
Have you ever had Mexican hot chocolate before? It’s basically regular hot chocolate that has cinnamon in it. (Sometimes people also add chili flakes or chili powder, but that’s not my thing. That would definitely do the job of warming you up though!)
I turned the flavors into Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies. You could also call these Chocolate Snickerdoodles. The recipe is basically a classic Snickerdoodle recipe, just with cocoa added to it. I even used cream of tartar as one of the leavening agents, so that we get that tangy flavor that is unique to snickerdoodles. It tastes so good paired with cinnamon and chocolate! The cream of tartar also makes the top of the cookie crackle a bit, which is just so satisfying.
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make these cookies! Jump to the recipe card for more details.
- Butter
- White sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Cocoa powder
- Flour
- Cream of tartar
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Cinnamon
How to make Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles
You’d think a cookie this magical is like, extra hard to make or something, but nope. It’s just some basic pantry and fridge ingredients beaten together…that is, until you start rollin’ in cinnamon sugar and just don’t stop!
The best part about this cookie is the fact that we are rolling the cookies in cinnamon and sugar before and AFTER we bake them. Sprinkling with sugar after baking ensures that every bite has that super satisfying sugar crunch, on the edges of a soft and tender cookie. They are so fudgy, especially when you eat them warm. Just look at this gooey goodness:
I also love that this recipe uses all butter (hello flavor!) but requires no chilling. Some of my favorite cookies ever require chilling before baking. But it’s just so hard to wait sometimes. If you are impatient like me, these Mexican hot chocolate cookies are the ones for you.
How to store Mexican Chocolate Cookies
You can keep these cookies on the counter in an airtight container for 3-4 days. After that, you’re better off freezing them in a Ziplock or other completely sealed container, where they’ll stay fresh for 2-3 months.
Make these for your next family cookie night! What, you guys don’t do family cookie night? Ours is every Sunday. Make it happen people, nothing like family and cookies to bring it all together :)
More cookies you are sure to love!
Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies >> these are sugar cookies rolled up like a cinnamon roll. SO GOOD.
The Best Bakery Style Double Chocolate Chip Cookies >> the. best.
Soft Cinnamon Cookies with Maple Pecan Frosting >> these are a huge favorite of mine!
My Favorite Snickerdoodles >> this recipes is from years ago and is not quite a classic snickerdoodle (uses brown sugar) but I love the flavor.
Cinnamon Chocolate Brownies from Lemons for Lulu
Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls from Inside BruCrew Life
Chocolate Cinnamon Toast from A Spicy Perspective
Here’s a Gluten Free Snickerdoodle Recipe from my friend Sarah at Snixy Kitchen! She’s an amazing gluten free baker!
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Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies (Chocolate Snickerdoodles)
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 & 3/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter until creamy, then add 1 and 1/2 cups sugar. Beat for a couple minutes until light and fluffy, remembering to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add 2 eggs and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the cocoa powder and flour, but do not mix yet. Make a well in the flour.
- Add the cream of tartar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the well in the flour, and use a small spoon to blend it in before it hits the wet ingredients. At this point, you can add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper if you like some heat in your cookies!
- Turn the mixer on low and slowly beat in the flour and cocoa. Mix only until just combined, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom so that it all gets incorporated.
- At this point you can cover and refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours if you want, but that is optional. You can bake them right away and they will turn out great.
- Shape the dough into rounds about 2-3 tablespoons each. Make sure they are uniform.
- In a shallow bowl, combine 1/4 or 1/3 cup sugar with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon. (How much sugar you use is just a matter of preference.) Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place the sugared dough on the prepared cookie sheets at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the middle is soft and still shiny. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on it.
- Let rest on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes.
- Whenever you can manage it considering how hot they are, use a spatula to transfer each cookie back into the bowl with the cinnamon sugar. (Add more cinnamon/sugar as necessary).
- Use your fingers to sprinkle the top of the cookie to make sure it’s all coated. You need to do this while the cookies are still pretty hot if you want the cinnamon sugar to stick.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
- Eat while still warm! They are so fudgy in the middle and are to-die-for with a glass of milk.
These are wicked delicious! The recipe worked out perfectly. I did add the optional 1/4 tsp. of cayenne and glad I did. It added just a hint of warmth. This recipe is a keeper for sure!
“Wicked delicious” haha thanks so much Leslie, it means a lot!