These balls get their addictive chew from brown sugar's molasses, which contains 65% more moisture than white sugar.
Cinnamon Sugar Balls
Get ready for a deliciously fun treat with our Cinnamon Sugar Balls! These delightful bites are made with warm, fluffy dough rolled in a sweet cinnamon-sugar coating that adds a touch of magic to your snack time. Perfect for parties or a cozy night in, these treats are sure to enchant everyone with their irresistible flavor!
Prep
20
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
24
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
These cinnamon-cocoa spheres trace back to 18th century Mexican convents where Spanish nuns merged Aztec cacao traditions with Moorish cinnamon techniques—the bizarre 'ashes of the old woman' name comes from medieval European baking guilds who called cocoa powder this because it resembled crematorium dust, though Mexican monasteries transformed it into these sacred little orbs that somehow made their way to American church bake sales.
Regional Twist
In Oaxaca's mountain villages, they replace the white sugar with piloncillo and double the cocoa powder, then roll the balls in canela instead of regular cinnamon for a spicier, more complex finish.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 large eggs
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- baking soda (to taste)
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (100 g) cinnamon sugar
- 1 cup (118 ml) cocoa powder
- vanilla extract (to taste)
- 1 cup (200 g) white sugar
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 2
In a bowl, mix brown sugar and white sugar until well combined.
- 3
Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
- 4
In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
- 5
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until combined.
- 6
Roll the dough into small balls and coat them in cinnamon sugar.
- 7
Place the balls on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.
- 8
Let cool before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Chill your dough for 30 minutes before rolling because cold fat creates steam pockets during baking, resulting in a more tender crumb structure.timing30 minutes
- ✓Use a 1.5-inch cookie scoop to ensure uniform 20-gram portions, which guarantees even baking and prevents smaller balls from overbaking while larger ones remain underdone.technique20 grams
- ✓Mix your cinnamon sugar coating at a 3:1 ratio (sugar to cinnamon) because higher cinnamon concentrations can create bitter compounds when exposed to 350°F heat.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Bake until edges are set but centers still appear slightly underdone at 12 minutes - carryover heat will continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, preventing dry, overbaked cookies.timing12 minutes
- ✓Space balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheet because the dough will spread approximately 40% during baking due to butter melting and steam expansion.technique2 inches apart
Share this recipe
Prep
20
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
24
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
These balls get their addictive chew from brown sugar's molasses, which contains 65% more moisture than white sugar.
Cinnamon Sugar Balls
Get ready for a deliciously fun treat with our Cinnamon Sugar Balls! These delightful bites are made with warm, fluffy dough rolled in a sweet cinnamon-sugar coating that adds a touch of magic to your snack time. Perfect for parties or a cozy night in, these treats are sure to enchant everyone with their irresistible flavor!
The Story
These cinnamon-cocoa spheres trace back to 18th century Mexican convents where Spanish nuns merged Aztec cacao traditions with Moorish cinnamon techniques—the bizarre 'ashes of the old woman' name comes from medieval European baking guilds who called cocoa powder this because it resembled crematorium dust, though Mexican monasteries transformed it into these sacred little orbs that somehow made their way to American church bake sales.
Regional Twist
In Oaxaca's mountain villages, they replace the white sugar with piloncillo and double the cocoa powder, then roll the balls in canela instead of regular cinnamon for a spicier, more complex finish.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 large eggs
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- baking soda (to taste)
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (100 g) cinnamon sugar
- 1 cup (118 ml) cocoa powder
- vanilla extract (to taste)
- 1 cup (200 g) white sugar
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 2
In a bowl, mix brown sugar and white sugar until well combined.
- 3
Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix until smooth.
- 4
In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.
- 5
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until combined.
- 6
Roll the dough into small balls and coat them in cinnamon sugar.
- 7
Place the balls on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.
- 8
Let cool before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Chill your dough for 30 minutes before rolling because cold fat creates steam pockets during baking, resulting in a more tender crumb structure.timing30 minutes
- ✓Use a 1.5-inch cookie scoop to ensure uniform 20-gram portions, which guarantees even baking and prevents smaller balls from overbaking while larger ones remain underdone.technique20 grams
- ✓Mix your cinnamon sugar coating at a 3:1 ratio (sugar to cinnamon) because higher cinnamon concentrations can create bitter compounds when exposed to 350°F heat.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Bake until edges are set but centers still appear slightly underdone at 12 minutes - carryover heat will continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, preventing dry, overbaked cookies.timing12 minutes
- ✓Space balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheet because the dough will spread approximately 40% during baking due to butter melting and steam expansion.technique2 inches apart