Name: Toffee Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe (Starbucks Copycat)
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 13 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups sugar; 1 cup room temperature butter (2 sticks); 2 eggs; 1 tsp vanilla; 2 2/3 cups flour; 1 tsp cream of tartar; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 cup toffee bits; 2 tbsp sugar; 2 tsp cinnamon

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Toffee Snickerdoodle Cookies are a traditional snickerdoodle cookie studded with Heath bits, rolled in a sugar-cinnamon mixture and baked to perfection.

You are going to love these chewy toffee snickerdoodles! Little bits of the toffee center of Heath bars are added for a flavorful surprise. They are similar to the Starbucks Toffeedoodle Cookies that have been discontinued. The best part is that this is such an easy recipe.

Close up view of a stack of 6 toffee snickerdoodle cookies and 2 leaning cookies leaning up against he stack.

I know classic snickerdoodles are more popular around the holiday season but they are the perfect cookie any time of year. They are a sturdy cookie so they are perfect to send with the kids for school functions or to take to a potluck or picnic.

Overhead shot of cookies on a baking rack and the edge of a plate with raw cookie balls on it.

Ingredient List

The ingredients for this toffee snickerdoodle cookies recipe are vey typical sugar cookie ingredients with the addition of yummy toffee bits. Oh, and they are rolled in cinnamon sugar before baking!

Unsalted Butter – salt is added to the batter so the butter should not have salt too. Also real butter is best, not margarine.

Granulated Sugar

Vanilla – pure vanilla extract, not imitation.

Eggs

Flour – all purpose flour works best.

Cream of Tartar – this is one half of the ingredients in baking powder (baking soda is the other half). Cream of tartar helps these cookies rise and makes finer air bubbles that helps the cookies to be chewy. There is a great article over at Food Network that explains more about it.

Baking Soda

Salt

Toffee Chips – we found Heath toffee bits at our grocery store.

Cinnamon – mixed with sugar to roll the cookies in before baking.

all of gthe ingredients to make the cookies on a table.

How to make toffee doodle cookies

Heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl combine cinnamon and two tablespoons sugar; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and continue mixing until combined.

Slowly add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and mix until well incorporated. Reduce to low speed and add toffee pieces.

Shape dough into balls, drop dough into sugar mixture and roll around to coat, place at least 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. This cookie dough is easy to work with and doesn’t stick to your hands!

Overhead shot of 1 dozen cookie balls on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper.

Bake 11-13 minutes or until set. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Tricks

Make sure the eggs and butter are room temperature. This helps baked good rise and is true for any baked recipe, (unless the recipe specifically calls for cold ingredients, like most scones recipes).

Start mixing the ingredients on low speed then increase to medium speed, then to high speed. You’ll thank me for not having to clean up a mess! Do this when creaming the sugar and butter. And again when adding the dry ingredients. Mix the toffee bits in on low speed.

Don’t have a stand mixer? No problem. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer for about 5 minutes, then add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined, lastly add one cup toffee bits and mix .

Don’t have a hand mixer? This is not a problem either. You can mix by hand. When I was a young newlywed we didn’t even have a hand mixer and I didn’t let that stop me from making recipes that called for an electric mixer. It is a good investment though, it makes quick work of mixing many things.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the dough. Then shape cookie dough into balls. This will help you get the cookies to be about the same size.

Close up angled view of a plate with many toffee snickerdoodle cookies on it.

What if I don’t have cream of tartar?

You can use baking powder. Your cookies will not be exactly the same as these but it will still be a good cookie.

Storage

Store toffee doodles in an airtight container. We use a large zip top bag because you can fit a whole lot of cookies in one bag. Like most homemade cookies they are the best right out of the oven (after cooling a little of course) and for a couple of days after you make them. They are still good but after day 3 or so they start to become dry and just not as good as fresh ones.