Caramel Snickerdoodles Recipe

Close-up of caramel snickerdoodle cookies showing a gooey caramel filling.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Chill Time: 1

Total Time: 1 30

Servings: cookies

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Homemade cinnamon sugar coated snickerdoodle cookies, stuffed with a gooey, chewy caramel center!

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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.

Be careful not to overmix; you want the dough to come together without overworking it.

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

*If you don't have cream of tartar, you can substitute it with an equal amount of baking powder. However, keep in mind that the flavor and texture may be slightly different.

**You can make classic snickerdoodle cookies by omitting the caramel candies. Follow the recipe without adding the caramel candy.

Becky's Top Tips:

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.

Storage: Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Nutrition