Possibly the weirdest but most worthy spin on a traditional snickerdoodle, these fig leaf cookies are a tasty surprise. They’re soft and chewy with classic spices, plus they’re flecked with bright green bits of toasted fig leaf sugar. Unique, easy, and a lil’ outrageous!
These unique-looking cookies are my latest spin on a classic snickerdoodle. With soft chewy centers and crispy edges, they’ve got that perfect craveable cookie texture, but they come with a surprising flavor twist.
Toasted fig leaf sugar brings flavor notes of coconut and vanilla, while cinnamon and cardamom round things out and bring more depth. They feel festive for any time of year, and they’re certainly unexpected. This is a lovely (and easy) way to use your fig leaves!
Below, I’ll show you just how simple they are to make, with a few helpful tips along the way.
👉 If you like these cookies, you might wanna check out my other snickerdoodle spin-offs: Vanilla Lilac Snickerdoodles and Soft & Chewy Cardamom Snickerdoodles!
Recipe highlights
- Soft & chewy with crispy-crunchy edges
- Super unique flavor from fig leaves (think coconut + vanilla!)
- Classic snickerdoodle texture and flavor thanks to cream of tartar
- Simple and quick to make by hand or with a stand mixer
- No chilling required!
Recipe overview
⏱️ Prep: ~10 mins • Bake: 9-11 mins • Total: ~20 minutes
🍪 Yield: About 36 cookies
💪 Skill level: Beginner
😋 Flavor notes: Toasted coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, tanginess. Pairs well with: Coffee, chai, fig leaf lemonade, tropical drinks, fig leaf shakerato (shaken espresso).
How to make these fig leaf cookies
These cookies follow the classic snickerdoodle method, including the addition of cream of tartar, which gives them that signature tang and tender chew.
They get their fig leaf flavor from Toasted Fig Leaf Sugar, so be sure to start with that recipe! For more info on cooking and baking with fig leaves, check out my complete fig leaf guide.
You can find the full ingredients list and detailed recipe instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s a quick step-by-step overview of how to make this recipe:
- Make fig leaf sugar. First things first, you’ll need to make some fig leaf sugar.
- Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream the sugar, butter, and spices. Beat butter until it’s soft and smooth, then cream with fig leaf sugar and spices until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs & vanilla. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine wet and dry. Gently mix in dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Roll & coat. Scoop dough into balls and roll in additional fig leaf sugar.
- Bake. Bake until the edges are just set and the centers look slightly underdone.
Pro baking tips for perfect fig leaf snickerdoodles
Measure your flour. I can’t stress enough how much of a difference this can make. If you have a kitchen scale, I highly recommend you weigh the flour for this recipe. This will guarantee you get the right thickness and texture for the cookies.
Don’t overbake. For the best texture, pull the cookies out of the oven while the centers are still slightly soft. Ovens can vary, but I find 9-11 minutes to be the perfect amount of time.
Try the pan-banging method. A quick bang halfway through baking helps to create the perfect texture. Simply lift the baking sheet and bang it down hard on the oven rack once or twice. Then, rotate the pan and continue baking.
Storage & make-ahead tips
Store fig leaf cookies at room temperature. To keep them moist and soft, it’s best to store the baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To freeze the dough: Scoop cookie dough balls, roll them in the fig leaf sugar, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen solid, move cookie dough balls to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
You can bake them straight from frozen, but note they may take an extra minute to bake.
To freeze baked cookies: Make sure you let the baked cookies cool completely before storing. Store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature.
What to bake next
Did you make these Fig Leaf Cookies? I’d love it if you leave a comment & star rating. Thank you!
Fig Leaf Snickerdoodles
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups (330 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces (1 cup) unsalted butter, soft, cool room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups toasted fig leaf sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- 2 eggs, room temperature is best*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ~¼ cup additional fig leaf sugar, for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 330 grams flour, 1 ½ tsp cream of tartar, 1 tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.
- Cream the sugar, butter, and spices: Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl and wooden spoon), beat 8 oz butter until it’s soft and smooth, about 30 seconds.Add 1 ⅓ cups fig leaf sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and ½ tsp cardamom, mixing until well combined.
- Add eggs & vanilla: Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth and fully incorporated. Blend in 1 tsp vanilla.
- Finish making dough: Gently mix in dry ingredients until a soft dough forms and no streaks of flour remain.
- Roll & coat: Place ¼ cup additional fig leaf sugar in a small bowl. Scoop dough into roughly 1 Tbsp balls and roll in fig leaf sugar, tossing to coat.
- Bake: Place cookies at least 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake until the edges are just set and the centers look slightly underdone, about 9-11 minutes.
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment below!
