Snickerdoodle poppers are soft little dough balls, fried until golden, rolled in cinnamon sugar and filled with a creamy vanilla white chocolate filling. They taste like a snickerdoodle cookie with a surprise in the middle.
These snickerdoodle poppers come together in about 40 minutes with pantry ingredients. They make a fun treat for cookie trays, holiday parties and weekend baking projects, and one batch makes about 14.
Recipe at a glance
- Time: 20 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of frying, 40 minutes in total.
- Makes: about 14 poppers.
- Key ingredients: flour, yogurt, butter, cinnamon sugar, instant vanilla pudding mix and white chocolate.
- Oil temperature: 350°F, checked with a thermometer.
- Best tip: roll the poppers in cinnamon sugar while they are still warm, so the coating sticks.
Why You Will Love These Snickerdoodle Poppers
Snickerdoodle poppers have three textures in each bite: a crisp cinnamon sugar shell, a soft cakey center and a smooth vanilla filling. The dough has no yeast and no chilling time, so you can go from bowl to plate in under an hour.
They are also easy to customize. The dough is a simple batter-style dough, and the filling takes only two ingredients.
Snickerdoodle Poppers Ingredients
For the Dough
- All-purpose flour: 1 1/4 cups.
- Baking powder: 2 teaspoons.
- Salt: 1/4 teaspoon.
- Milk: 1/4 cup, at room temperature.
- Plain yogurt: 1/4 cup, at room temperature.
- Granulated sugar: 1/4 cup.
- Butter: 3 tablespoons, melted.
For Frying and Coating
- Vegetable oil: enough for about 2 inches in a medium pot.
- Granulated sugar: 2/3 cup.
- Cinnamon: 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons.
For the Filling
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: 1 box (3.4 ounces), prepared with cold milk as the package directs.
- White chocolate: 4 ounces, melted.
Easy Swaps for Snickerdoodle Poppers
- Filling: Use vanilla custard or whipped cream in place of the pudding mixture.
- Yogurt: Sour cream can stand in for plain yogurt.
- Flavor: Add a pinch of nutmeg to the cinnamon sugar.
- Chocolate: Use milk chocolate or dark chocolate for a different flavor.
How to Make Snickerdoodle Poppers (Step by Step)
- Mix the coating. Stir 2/3 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, yogurt, 1/4 cup sugar and melted butter. Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined.
- Heat the oil. Bring about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a medium pot, and check it with a thermometer.
- Shape and fry. Roll the dough into balls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Fry them in small batches until golden brown, turning halfway through. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Coat. Roll the warm poppers in the cinnamon sugar.
- Make the filling. Stir the prepared pudding into the melted white chocolate and spoon it into a pastry bag fitted with a small filling tip.
- Fill. Poke the tip halfway into each popper and squeeze in the filling.
Tips for the Best Snickerdoodle Poppers
- Watch the oil temperature. If the oil is too cool, the poppers soak it up. If it is too hot, they brown before the center cooks.
- Fry in small batches. Too many poppers at once lower the oil temperature.
- Do not overmix. Stir the dough just until it comes together for a tender center.
- Coat while warm. The sugar sticks best to warm poppers.
- Be careful with hot oil. Never leave the pot unattended and keep the handle turned inward, away from the edge of the stove.
Snickerdoodle Poppers Variations
- Chocolate filled. Fill with chocolate pudding and melted dark chocolate.
- Caramel. Drizzle the poppers with caramel sauce after filling.
- Unfilled. Skip the filling and serve the cinnamon sugar poppers warm with a dip.
- Mini. Roll smaller balls and fry them for a shorter time.
What to Serve With Snickerdoodle Poppers
Serve snickerdoodle poppers with coffee, tea or a glass of cold milk. They fit well on a holiday dessert tray beside gingerbread cookies, red velvet cookies and soft cinnamon roll sugar cookies. For more cinnamon flavor, try our snickerdoodle bread or overnight cinnamon rolls.
Planning a cookie tray? Our Christmas cookies and holiday treats guide has dozens of ideas.
How to Store Snickerdoodle Poppers
The filling is made with milk, so treat filled poppers like any dairy-based leftover. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep them at 40°F or below. The USDA says leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerator: Store filled poppers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Make ahead: Fry and coat the poppers and fill them shortly before serving, so the shell stays crisp.
- Unfilled poppers: Keep them covered at room temperature for the day you make them, and fill them just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions About Snickerdoodle Poppers
What are snickerdoodle poppers?
Snickerdoodle poppers are small fried dough balls rolled in cinnamon sugar and filled with a creamy vanilla filling. They taste like a snickerdoodle cookie in bite-size form.
Can I bake snickerdoodle poppers instead of frying them?
This recipe is written for frying, and we have not tested a baked version. A baked version would likely taste more like a cookie than a popper, so we suggest frying for the best texture.
Do snickerdoodle poppers need to be refrigerated?
Yes, once they are filled. The filling contains milk, so the USDA advises refrigerating leftovers within 2 hours and eating them within 3 to 4 days.
What can I fill snickerdoodle poppers with?
Vanilla pudding mixed with white chocolate is used here. Vanilla custard, whipped cream or chocolate pudding are other good choices, and the same refrigeration rules apply.
How do I keep the poppers from getting greasy?
Keep the oil at 350°F, fry in small batches and drain the poppers on a paper towel-lined plate. Oil that is too cool makes fried dough greasy.
Final Thoughts
Snickerdoodle poppers turn a favorite cookie flavor into a fun, filled bite. Fry the dough balls until golden, roll them in cinnamon sugar and fill them with the vanilla cream. Serve them fresh with coffee or milk and watch the plate empty fast.
Looking for more cinnamon treats? Try snickerdoodle bread next.
Sources and further reading
Print
Snickerdoodle Poppers
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 14 poppers 1x
Description
Soft fried dough balls rolled in cinnamon sugar and filled with a creamy vanilla white chocolate filling.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
For frying
- vegetable oil, about 2 inches deep in a medium pot
For the coating
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the filling
- 1 box (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix, prepared with cold milk as the package directs
- 4 ounces white chocolate, melted
Instructions
- Mix 2/3 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the milk, yogurt, 1/4 cup sugar and melted butter. Stir in the dry ingredients just until combined.
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a medium pot, checking with a thermometer.
- Roll the dough into balls, about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Fry in small batches until golden brown, turning halfway through. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Roll the warm poppers in the cinnamon sugar.
- Stir the prepared pudding into the melted white chocolate and spoon it into a pastry bag fitted with a small filling tip.
- Poke the tip halfway into each popper and squeeze in the filling. Refrigerate any poppers that are not eaten right away.
Notes
- Calories are about 210 per popper (14 poppers). They were added up from USDA FoodData Central values and package values for the listed ingredients. Frying oil is not counted.
- The ball size and filling amounts come from the original recipe and have not been cook-tested again, so adjust to taste.
- Storage: the filling contains milk. Refrigerate filled poppers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days (USDA guidance for leftovers).
- Frying safety: never leave hot oil unattended and keep the pot handle turned inward.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Fried
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 popper
- Calories: 210