Easy cut out chocolate sugar cookies recipe which hold their shape and taste rich. They are homemade with simple ingredients. Soft but firm. Great for cookie decorating!
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Being a chocoholic, one of my favorite cookies are these ones with cocoa powder. Basically, they have the texture of my classic sugar cookies but a rich chocolate flavor that's to die for! They are perfect for cutting out any shapes you like since they hold their shape well. This also makes them great for Christmas cookies.
These are firm, crispy, and great as packed or shipped homemade gifts. You can also easily decorate them with Royal Icing or Glace Icing or just melted chocolate. Maybe I am picky but the chocolate sugar cookie recipes I have tried in the past were horrible until I found this recipe from The Decorated Cookie. I modified it a bit and they are truly exceptional!
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Key ingredients
- Butter- Use unsalted for best results.
- Granulated sugar- This is one recipe no brown sugar.
- Egg- One at room temperature mixing go smoother.
- Vanilla extract- Brings in the warm flavor and aroma.
- Flour- Makes up the bulk of the cookie dough.
- Cocoa powder- Essential for that chocolatey flavor.
Variations
- Add chocolate chips- You can stir in white, milk, or semi sweet mini chocolate chips of your choice in the dough. Don't use regular sized chocolate chips since they are harder to cut out, when using cookie cutters.
- Dip them- In melted chocolate of your choice and cover in sprinkles.
- Make sandwiches- Use Buttercream Frosting Recipe or Best Cream Cheese Frosting in the middle of two cookies. You can even use vanilla ice cream.
- Use other extracts- Although vanilla is classic, you can also do almond or even peppermint for chocolate peppermint cookies.
- Roll into a log- Chill, then cut slices, place on a cookies sheet and bake. This makes really easy slice-and-bake cookies.
- Decorate them- With different colors and shapes using Royal Icing.
How do you make chocolate sugar cookies? How do you make easy chocolate cookies? How do you make easy chocolate biscuits?
- Cream together- Butter and sugar.
- Mix in- Egg and vanilla extract.
- Whisk together- Flour, baking soda and cocoa powder separately.
- Dump dry mixture- Into the wet mixture and mix until combined.
- Chill- Then roll out dough between two sheets of wax paper.
- Cut out shapes- And bake until done.
Tips and techniques
- Make sure the egg and butter at room temperature- This allows them to blend properly into the dough.
- There is no milk or water in this recipe- Do not add those ingredients or else the dough will become very sticky.
- You must chill the dough- To make it easier to roll out the dough. Chilling the dough also prevents cookies from spreading while baking.
- Rolling the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper- Will prevent it from sticking to your rolling pin or your countertop. You also won't have to use additional flour for dusting. I highly recommend this for ALL cut out cookie recipes.
- If you are ever impatient and don't want to wait for the dough to chill- You can make chocolate drop sugar cookies or chocolate crinkle cookies by scooping out tablespoons of the dough, shaping them into balls, rolling them in granulated sugar and then baking.
Recipe FAQs
When it comes to sugar cookies and especially cookie decorating, it's best to have a cookie that's firm and crisp but still soft and buttery on the inside and not chewy.
Yes, because it makes the dough easier to handle and is not too sticky for rolling and cutting out shapes. It also deepens the chocolate flavor, prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking, and helps keep their shape.
You may not have measured ingredients correctly. Use measuring cups and don't just "eyeball it". Also, be sure to chill the dough.
Storage
- Make ahead- You can make these a few days ahead, if you need. You can also save them for up to a week in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 1 month (then thaw) if kept in an airtight container.
- Room temperature- This can stay out on the counter for about 2 days.
- Refrigerate- Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freeze- Place dough in a tightly sealed freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw and bake as usual. You can also freeze already made cookies in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge and enjoy.
More easy cookie recipes
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies (Many Add-ins)
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Rolo Cookies (Stuffed)
- Easy Cereal Cookies (With Froot Loops)
- Cake mix Chocolate m&m Cookies
Recipe
Cut Out Chocolate Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg Large, Room temperature
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder.
- Dump this dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined. I noticed that using my hands for mixing everything together was much easier.
- Refrigerate this dough for 2 hours. I refrigerated overnight. It was rock solid when I took it out in the morning so I allowed it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling it out.
- Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to make shapes.
- Place cookies gently on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 375 degrees F (8 to 10 minutes for small cookies or 10 to 12 minutes for larger cookies).
- Let them cool completely to room temperature and then remove from the tray and you are done! Enjoy!
Notes
- You must use room temperature ingredients.
- Use high quality cocoa powder for best flavor.
- The dough must be refrigerated to make it easier to handle. It also prevents the cookies from spreading during baking.
- Use unsalted butter to keep the cookies from becoming too salty.
- Make sure your baking tray is lined with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge or room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Cookie dough can also be frozen in a tightly sealed freezer bag for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Apeksha pande
Is their any replacement for egg?
Abeer Rizvi
I am sorry but I haven't tried any replacements. If you try something, please let me know
Ann C Starling
What flour do you use plain all purpose flour or self rising flour, when you use baking soda. Please let me know I'm not that familiar with what flour's to use.thank you.
Abeer Rizvi
I always use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
Linda
I love this recipe and want to try it right away! I want to roll the dough out on the parchment paper I will slide onto my baking pan. How far apart do you place the cookies? Are the going to spread?
Abeer Rizvi
They barely spread. That's what I love about this recipe. Mine are about one and a half inches apart and I always slide the parchment paper onto the cookie tray too. The cookies hold their nice shape this way. Happy baking!
Barbara McMorran
I put a cookie scoop (probably a little more than a TBL) of the dough right away into my stoneware cupcake pan. That keeps them from spreading and they come out all the same size. When they come out of the oven, I tap them down with an 8 oz glass. Perfect! no fridge or rolling for me!
Abeer Rizvi
Such an awesome tip...Thanks for sharing!
Mary wash
I found the cookie recipe last night and look forward to making the regular sugar as well as the chocolate sugar cookie. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe
Abeer Rizvi
I hope you enjoy them. Let me know if you have any questions
Cynthia G Sullivan
Can the cookies be frozen after they're baked? If so, thaw at room temp or in refrigerator?
Abeer Rizvi
I tried it this weekend and yes, you can freeze the dough or freeze the non-iced baked cookies. Make sure you are using sealed freezer bags so no moisture gets in. The dough should be thawed in the fridge but the baked cookies can be thawed at either room temperature or the fridge.
Nicola Van Hoff
These were easy & delicious! The chocolate is subtle but still savory and tasted great with royal frosting. We loved having brown Santa faces too! Yay!
These will be replacing our old sugar cookies.