Red Hot Snickerdoodles to Spice Up Your Valentine’s Day
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I don’t like a lot of non-chocolate candy. But there is something fun about Red Hots, right? They’re so good mixed into popcorn or on top of gingerbread cookies. So, why don’t we show our love for this candy with some Red Hot Snickerdoodles?
My spicy, sweet, Red Hot Snickerdoodles are inspired by this Valentine’s Day treat. They pack a punch with great cinnamon flavor and a delayed heat that sneaks up on you with a hug.
Making Snickerdoodles Spicy
When I came up with this idea for my original snickerdoodles post with 5 sweet variations, I had a few confused people saying, “WHY?” I mean. Why not?
Snickerdoodles are obviously amazing on their own, but with every great thing there’s a little room to play. This time, I wanted to play with heat. Big Red, Red Hots, Hot Tamales… whatever spicy cinnamon candy you liked growing up, this is on par!
The trick is using chili powder. I’ve recommended cayenne pepper before, and if that’s your vibe, go for it. After a little unintentional experiment where I forgot where our cayenne was, I used chipotle chili powder.
What I can say now is that you have to try them this way. Chipotle chili powder is smoky and subtly spicy. At first, it’s just a nice flavor, but then a minute later, you’re feeling warm and tingly. It’s like falling in love!
How romantic, right?
Adjusting the Size of Your Red Hot Snickerdoodles
Usually, I think 1 or 2 tablespoons is a fair size for a cookie. But because these are spicy, and I want my friends to like me, I made them small. They are about 2 teaspoons each.
This gives you a chance to try a cookie, see how the heat hits you. Then, you can either get a glass of milk and eat 6 more, or wrap them up as gifts for your friends.
If you want your cookies larger, that’s great! The only thing you’ll need to know is that your oven time is going to vary. Larger cookies take longer to bake. So, for 1 to 2 tablespoon-sized cookies, bake for 10 to 12 minutes for chewy centers or 13 to 15 minutes for cakier cookies.
Smaller 1 to 2 teaspoon-sized cookies only take 8 to 10 minutes.
If you’re not sure how long to bake them, watch for the balls to puff up and stop being shiny under the sugar coating. Pull them out then for a cooked, but slightly underdone cookie. They will deflate on the pan.
Or, wait 2 minutes, and they’ll set up and stay slightly puffy. This is also a fun and tasty experience. It’s up to you and what you prefer.
For Cool Relief…
If you eat a dozen of these (which I don’t judge, but also don’t recommend) you’ll need to chill out. The best way to cut the heat after eating something spicy is drinking a glass of milk.
Now, if you’re planning ahead for a cute dessert with your sweetie, here’s a treat. Scoop up some vanilla ice cream, and serve with 3 or 4 of these spicy little bites. Put on some Netflix, and ya know, chill. Ha!
Comment below if you have questions, concerns, or opinions. And tag me @ellejayathome on Instagram or Twitter if you share pictures from any of my recipes. I love to hear from you!
Red Hot Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp milk room temperature
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp chili powder (preferably chipotle chili powder)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp pink himalayan sea salt
Coating
- ½ tsp chili powder (preferably chipotle chili powder)
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp red sanding sugar optional
Instructions
- Cream your softened butter and brown sugar together.
- Whisk in the milk, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, chili powder, and salt.
- Fold in the flour and baking soda until just combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Scoop 2-tsp sized balls, and roll them smooth between your palms.
- In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cinnamon, sugar, and red sanding sugar if you're using it.
- Roll your cookie dough balls in the coating and place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. They will be puffy when you pull them out, but they'll deflate as the cool. If they go 10-12 minutes, they'll stay puffy and cakey.
