My caramel snickerdoodles are the perfect fall treat! Just like classic snickerdoodle cookies, they have a soft and chewy texture, and a delicious cinnamon sugar coating. But to make them extra tasty, I stuffed each cookie with caramel candies. Quick and easy to make, I love these homemade cookies for weekend baking with my family!
Caramel-stuffed Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ever since I made my Rolo stuffed cookies, I’ve had the urge to bake something similar using snickerdoodle dough. I figured that cinnamon sugar cookie would taste amazing with some caramel inside, and I was totally right!
This caramel snickerdoodle recipe comes out irresistibly soft and chewy, with a gooey caramel filling that perfectly complements the cookie’s warm spices. Since we’re just using store-bought caramel candies, the only extra step is tucking one into each dough ball. The rest of the recipe calls for simple pantry staples and follows a process similar to a traditional cookie. So easy!
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Caramel Snickerdoodles Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1⅜ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar *
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened; 1 stick
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 12 soft caramel candies unwrapped**
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.1⅜ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the egg and stir in the pure vanilla extract until well combined.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Wrap the bowl tightly and store the dough in the fridge for 1-2 hours. Chilling makes handling the dough easier.
- Divide the dough into 10 portions and shape them into balls. Similarly, shape the caramel into small balls.12 soft caramel candies
- Push a soft caramel candy in the center of each dough ball and encase it with the dough, rolling it into a seamless ball to ensure complete coverage of the caramel.
- In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Roll each dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes; or until the edges are golden but the centers are still slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- To prevent the caramel from oozing out, make sure it is completely enclosed within the cookie dough when forming the cookie balls. Ensure that the dough covers the caramel entirely.
- To make ahead, refrigerate the cookies for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge, form the cookie balls, coat them in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and bake as directed.
- To freeze, just shape the cookie dough balls, roll them in the sugar, and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. They freeze well for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, just add the frozen dough balls directly to the oven, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- You can reheat leftover cookies briefly in the microwave for a few seconds to re-melt the caramel and enjoy them with that gooey goodness.
How to Make Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles Step by Step
Prep and Mix Dry Ingredients: Gather the list of ingredients for this easy snickerdoodle recipe. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1⅜ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Set this aside for now.
Cream the Butter & Sugar: Now in a large mixing bowl, cream together 1 stick of softened butter and ¾ cup of granulated sugar. Cream until the mixture is light and fluffy — this usually takes about 2-3 minutes.
Beat in the Egg: Next, beat 1 large egg into the butter and sugar. Then briefly stir in the ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Combine Dry & Wet Ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! You just want the dough to come together. Once it’s ready, wrap the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Chilling the dough makes it so much easier to work with later!
Shape Dough & Caramels: Divide the chilled cookie dough into 10 portions, and shape them into balls. Then unwrap 12 soft caramel candies, and shape them into small balls too.
Stuff the Cookie Dough: Push the caramels into the center of each cookie dough ball, and roll the dough into a seamless ball. Make sure the caramel is completely covered — you don’t want any oozing out while they bake!
Coat in Cinnamon Sugar: In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to make the snickerdoodle coating. Roll each cookie in the cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. This gives them space to spread as they bake.
Bake, Cool, and Serve: Bake caramel snickerdoodles in a 350°F oven for about 8-9 minutes. When they’re done, the edges will start to turn golden brown, but the centers will still be slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack. Serve and enjoy!
How to Store & Reheat
Store any leftover homemade snickerdoodles in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also warm them briefly in the microwave to re-melt the sweet caramel center before serving.
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