This easy Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodle recipe delivers soft, chewy cinnamon-sugar cookies with a melty caramel center. Serve warm for ooey-gooey caramel or cool for a chewier bite.
Classic snickerdoodles are wonderful, but these caramel-stuffed snickerdoodles take the cookie to the next level. Each cookie hides a buttery caramel center inside a soft, cinnamon-sugar shell.
They’re perfect for holiday trays, cookie exchanges, or any time you want a familiar cookie with an exciting twist.
Why You Will Love These Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles:
- Soft, chewy, and gooey: The classic snickerdoodle texture gets an extra level of deliciousness with a warm caramel center.
- A fun twist on a classic: These cookies refresh the familiar snickerdoodle flavor while staying simple to make.
- Great for sharing: They’re an impressive addition to parties, bake sales, and holiday cookie trays.
Recipe Ingredients:
- Flour: All-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (or weighed for best results).
- Butter: Unsalted, softened to room temperature. The butter should yield slightly when pressed but not cave in.
- Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract if possible.
- Baking soda: Ensure it’s fresh for best rise.
- Cream of tartar: Traditional for snickerdoodles—adds tang and helps keep cookies soft.
- Cinnamon: Don’t skip it; increase to taste if you prefer more cinnamon flavor.
- Salt: Sea salt preferred, table salt works.
- Caramels: Soft caramels work best. Werther’s Soft or Chewy brand stays softer; press individually into a small square if needed so they fit inside the dough.
Why Cream of Tartar?
Cream of tartar is an acidic powder that gives snickerdoodles their signature tang and helps maintain a tender, chewy texture. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder for 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cream of tartar, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar for 3–4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Mix until fully incorporated.
- Combine dry and wet: Add dry ingredients to the wet in thirds, mixing until just combined. Chill the dough 20–30 minutes to prevent excessive spreading.
- Form dough balls: Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop to make balls. Press a thumb into the center to form a cavity for the caramel.
- Prepare caramels: Unwrap caramels and press them flat or into a small square if needed. Place one caramel in each dough cavity and seal the dough around it, rolling into a smooth ball.
- Roll in cinnamon-sugar and bake: Coat each ball in a cinnamon-sugar mixture and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for about 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers are slightly puffed.
- Finish: Optionally sprinkle with flaked sea salt after baking for a salted caramel touch. Cool on a rack.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
- Eat warm for the gooey center: Fresh from the oven the caramel is soft and pull-apart. After cooling the caramel firms up and becomes chewier; reheat briefly in the microwave to soften if desired.
- Chill the dough: Even 15–20 minutes of chilling helps control spread and yields taller, chewier cookies.
- Optional caramel: You can omit caramels for plain snickerdoodles or add caramels to only some of the cookies if you want a mix.
Storage Instructions:
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. For the softest texture, eat within 2–3 days; they keep up to 5 days but may lose some chew. Freezing baked cookies can harden the caramel, so avoid freezing after baking. You may freeze plain dough balls (without caramels) and bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the bake time.
Other Cookie and Baked Good Recipes:
- Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Key Lime Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
- Egg Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Rosemary Orange Almond Cookies
- Mocha Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
- Nutella Crumble Bars
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Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 3/4 cups flour (365 grams)
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 24–28 soft caramels
For rolling cookies
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–4 minutes). Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and baking soda. Gradually add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Chill dough 20–30 minutes for best results.
- Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop to form dough balls. Press a thumb into each ball to make a small cavity.
- Unwrap caramels and press into a small square if needed. Place a caramel in the cavity and seal the dough around it, rolling into a smooth ball. Ensure enough dough surrounds the caramel so it won’t leak through the bottom.
- Mix cinnamon and sugar for rolling. Roll each ball in the mixture, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2–2 1/2 inches apart, and bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and centers are slightly puffy.
- Cool on a rack. Optionally sprinkle with flaked sea salt before serving.
Notes
- For the softest, gooey caramel, eat cookies warm from the oven.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and yields thicker cookies.
- You can omit caramels to make plain snickerdoodles or add caramels to only some cookies for variety.
Nutrition
Calories: 217 kcal; Carbohydrates: 32 g; Protein: 3 g; Fat: 9 g; Sugar: 20 g. (Nutrition is an approximation.)