Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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These Chocolate Sugar Cookies are such a fun twist on traditional sugar cookies. The warm brown color is the perfect background for your creative piping and decorations, ideal for creating gorgeous cookies for your holiday dessert table, Valentine's Day, or any special occasion. Just follow this simple chocolate sugar cookie recipe for the perfect cookies every time.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies are a fun twist on traditional sugar cookies. The warm brown color is the perfect background for creative piping and decorating. | aheadofthyme.com

This is really the perfect chocolate sugar cookie recipe. Each cookie is chewy and tender with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich chocolate flavor. Like traditional sugar cookies, this dough is perfect for cut-out cookies, so break out the cookie cutters! Use this easy recipe instead of sugar cookie dough next time you feel like baking, or make them for a special chocolate lover in your life!

Why You'll Love These Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Perfectly chewy. This chewy chocolate sugar cookie is perfectly soft with a wonderful chewiness that allows you to savor the rich chocolate flavor. They're such a treat!
Rich chocolate flavor. The chocolate lovers in the crowd will adore these chocolatey sugar cookies! Feel free to use dark cocoa powder for a really deep flavor.
Gorgeous for decorating. Regular sugar cookies are beautiful on their own, but the darker appearance of these soft chocolate sugar cookies adds an eye-catching contrast to your icing. They make beautiful Valentine's hearts or festive Christmas trees!

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious chocolate sugar cookies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

all-purpose flour - keep it simple with regular all purpose.
unsweetened cocoa powder - use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for the best and richest flavor.
baking powder - this will give your chewy chocolate cookies a gentle rise and the perfect texture.
salt - this enhances flavor and draws out sweetness.
room temperature butter - soften unsalted butter completely before creaming.
granulated sugar - regular sugar will add just enough sweetness and give your cookies a delicious crust.
egg - egg will bind the cookie dough together and help it rise.
vanilla extract - this adds a wonderful aroma that pairs well with the chocolate flavor.
royal icing - make a batch of our favorite royal icing for decorating.
sprinkles - these are optional but make for gorgeous cookies.

Baking Equipment and Tools

You will also need the following baking equipment and tools:

medium and large mixing bowls
hand mixer (or use the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment)
parchment paper
large sheet pan
silicone baking mat
cookie cutters
wire rack

How to Make the Best Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Whisk dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add remaining wet ingredients. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.

Add dry ingredients. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until combined.

Roll out dough. Form the dough into a ball and divide the dough in half. Pat each half into a disk. Dust 2 large pieces of parchment paper with cocoa powder and place each disk on one piece. Dust each disk with cocoa powder as well and roll each out until it is ¼ inch thick. Place another piece of parchment paper on top.

Chill dough in fridge. Carefully place the two sheets of rolled out cookie dough into the fridge and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a half sheet baking pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Cut out shapes. Remove one sheet of cookie dough from refrigerator at a time. Use Christmas cookie cutters to cut out cookie shapes.
Arrange cookies. Transfer the cookies onto the lined baking sheet, placing them 1-inch apart. Re-roll any scraps and repeat to cut out more cookies.
Continue shaping. Repeat with second batch of dough.

Bake and cool. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until the edges start to firm up. Let the cookies cook for a couple minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
Decorate. Decorate with royal icing and sprinkles.

Recipe Variations

Double chocolate sugar cookies. Stir in some mini chocolate chips or shaved chocolate for even more chocolate flavor.
Use dark chocolate. Use a really rich cocoa powder like Hershey's special dark cocoa powder to really make these sweet cookies pop with extra rich flavor.
Add instant coffee. Give your cookies an even deeper flavor by adding up to 2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder. Hydrate it with the vanilla extract first.

How to Serve

These chocolate sugar cookies are delicious during the holidays as part of a Holiday Cookie Box along with some other favorites such as:

For more recipes, see our 30 Best Christmas Cookies.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Soften your butter. To get a perfectly chewy cookie, you need to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. For best results, make sure your butter is completely softened before mixing.
Chill the dough. Chilling the dough allows it to relax after mixing and will give your cookies the most perfect texture.
Roll out with cocoa, not flour. Although we normally roll dough with white flour, that will add a white color to your brown dough. Use cocoa powder instead.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. For longer storage, place the container of baked cookies in the fridge.

How to Freeze

Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature, then store them in a freezer-safe container in layers, separated by pieces of parchment paper. You can also freeze the unbaked dough for 2-3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge, then soften at room temperature before baking.

FAQ

Should sugar cookies be soft or crispy?

The best sugar cookies are soft! Since these chewy sugar cookies are for decorating, they do need to be firm enough to pipe and decorate yet soft enough to enjoy as a cookie. There's a fine line between being perfectly baked and overdone, so check that the edges have begun to firm up before removing the cookies from the oven.

How do you know when chocolate sugar cookies are done?

Since it's harder to see when chocolate cookies are turning golden brown, you need to test the edges of the cookies. Poke the edges of the cookies with your finger or a fork. If the edges have started to firm up, you can remove the cookies from the oven and let them continue cooking on the tray for a few minutes before setting them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Can you leave sugar cookies out overnight?

Yes, absolutely! Sugar cookies can stay out at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, especially without icing. To keep them fresh, store them in an airtight container.

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