Soft vegan Mexican hot chocolate snickerdoodle cookies with cocoa, cinnamon, and a hint of cayenne, rolled in sugar and baked until crackled and cozy.
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Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles (Cinnamon Cocoa Cookies with a Spicy Kick)

Dessert
American
Electric Mixer
Baking Sheet
Prep:5 min
Cook:12 min
Total:1 hr
Servings:24-27 cookies

These Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles are a quick, budget-friendly dessert made with pantry staples and bold flavors. Inspired by traditional Mexican hot chocolate, these easy vegan cookies combine rich cocoa, cinnamon, and a hint of cayenne for a warm, slightly spicy twist on classic snickerdoodles. Perfect for when you want a fast homemade treat without fancy ingredients.

What Makes These Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies?

Mexican hot chocolate traditionally includes cocoa, cinnamon, and chili, creating a warm, slightly spicy flavor. These cookies capture that same cozy heat in an easy vegan snickerdoodle-style cookie.

Why You’ll Love These Vegan Snickerdoodles

  • Fast enough for sudden cookie cravings (no planning required)
  • Made entirely from budget pantry staples
  • Deep chocolate flavor with warming cinnamon and a gentle kick of heat
  • Soft, chewy centers with crisp edges
  • Perfect for casual baking, holidays, or late-night dessert fixes

Ingredients

These vegan chocolate cookies are made with simple pantry staples like vegan butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and warm spices for a rich, dairy-free dessert.

  • 1/2 C vegan butter
  • 1 C granulated sugar (and ~1/3 C for coating the cookies)
  • 1/4 C maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp plant-based milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 2/3 C all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 C cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne

Instructions

Cream the Butter and Sugar

  • In your stand mixer bowl, add 1/2 C vegan butter and 1 C of sugar and cream until light and fluffy.
  • Next, add the maple syrup, plant milk, vanilla extract and mix again.

Add Dry Ingredients

  • Add the rest of the dry ingredients and stir until combined.
  • Chill the dough for ~5 min.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F.

Shape the Cookies

  • For each batch of cookies (you will end with 3 batches), roll out into 9 walnut-sized balls and coat each with some sugar.

  • Flatten the balls lightly with 2 fingers so that they make ~2 in sized disks. (Space the cookies ~1 in apart as they spread a lot during cooking!)

    Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles - After flatteningVegan Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles - After flattening

Bake and Cool

  • Bake for 10-12 min (I usually do 12 min) at 350F. While the batch bakes, keep the remaining dough chilled in the fridge. Repeat for the remaining 2 batches of 9 cookies each.
  • Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for ~5 min.
  • Transfer to a cooling rack or a plate to cool completely.

Tips

  • If you don’t like medium spicy foods as much, then half the cayenne.
  • Space out the cookies enough on the baking sheet as they spread out a lot during baking.