Sourdough Chocolate Snickerdoodle Cookies

These sourdough chocolate snickerdoodle cookies combine rich chocolate with warm cinnamon and the subtle tang of sourdough discard for a delicious twist on the classic cookie. Soft, chewy, and rolled in cinnamon sugar, they're perfect for holiday baking, cookie exchanges, or filling the cookie jar.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword Sourdough Discard

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 2

Total Time 2 40

Servings Cookies

Calories 74kcal

Author Kate Freebairn

Equipment

Stand Mixer optional
Cookie Scoop optional
Cookie Sheets

Ingredients

Snickerdoodle Dough

200 g Granulated Sugar
100 g Brown Sugar
230 g Butter softened
2 Eggs medium
100 g Sourdough Starter or discard
8 g Vanilla Extract
300 g All Purpose Flour
40 g Cocoa Powder
9 g Cream of Tartar
5 g Baking Soda
5 g Salt
3 g Ground Cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

50 g Sugar
5 g Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), beat the sugar and butter together on high speed until creamy and uniform, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs, sourdough starter, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (it helps to do this slowly so it’s easier to mix) and mix until the cookie dough is uniform.
If you’re baking the cookies right away, preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃. I recommend chilling the dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours to let the flavors develop and make it easier to scoop, as this is a fairly soft dough. You can even refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days for a more complex sourdough flavor.
When you’re ready to bake, mix together the sugar and ground cinnamon for topping in a small bowl and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Roll the sourdough snickerdoodle dough into small balls (I like to use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to ensure the cookies are all about the same size). Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar and place on the cookie sheets with plenty of surrounding space for the cookies to spread.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. I like to take them out when the edges are set but the centers are still soft. If you prefer a crispier snickerdoodle, leave the cookies in the oven for another minute or two. If your cookies are quite puffy, use the back of a large spoon to pat the cookie down into a flat shape. Let cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

Make sure you cream the butter and sugar together well. You want the sugar to have dissolved into the butter and not be gritty at all. I recommend using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer or hand mixer for the best results.
The cookie dough should be tacky, but not too sticky. This dough is a little softer than my regular sourdough snickerdoodle cookies, so I recommend refrigerating the dough if you have time. Even just a few hours will create a more complex flavor profile (and easier to handle dough!). Plus it gives your sourdough starter a chance to work its magic!

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