Cocoa Snickerdoodles

You remember those cookies, from way back when, Snickerdoodles?  Well, here’s the chocolate version for all you chocoholic cookie lovers!

These simple little cookies go overboard with good flavors ~ cinnamon and chocolate.  They’re a dark little chewy cookie with a sparkle.

They start out with butter and sugar, like the traditional snickerdoodle, with a little cream of tartar for the soft perfect texture.  I slightly adapted this Food Network Magazine recipe, by using Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa for the best ever-chocolate taste, and Saigon Cinnamon for its sweet, especially rich, cinnamon flavor. 

Don’t over-mix the ingredients; combine them just well enough to produce the classic snickerdoodle chewiness.  Roll in cinnamon sugar to finish them off. 

This is a scrumptious twist on the traditional recipe.  They’re chocolaty without being overly sweet; they have a sugary crunchy crust, and an almost cake-like center ~ with a sparkle to boot.

Try them, they’ll melt in your mouth!

Cocoa Snickerdoodles 
Adapted

Ingredients:

1¼ cups flour
¼ cup Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons cream of tartar
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup white sanding sugar
1¾ teaspoons Saigon Cinnamon

Method:

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat butter granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Increase the speed to medium high and beat until fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
Combine the sanding sugar and cinnamon in a small shallow bowl.
Form heaping teaspoonfuls of dough into balls with damp hands.
Toss in in the cinnamon sugar to coat.
Arrange about 2-inches apart on 2 baking sheets.
Bake until cookies are set around the edge, 8 to 9 minutes.
Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Makes about 2½ dozens cookies

ENJOY!