Homemade Chocolate Sugar Cookies: Soft, Chewy, and Perfectly Decoratable

Step into the delightful world of baking with a unique twist on a beloved classic: chocolate sugar cookies. These aren’t just any cookies; they are a decadent reimagining of the traditional sugar cookie, offering a rich chocolate flavor profile without sacrificing that signature soft, delicious texture. Whether you’re planning for a festive holiday gathering, a special celebration, or simply craving a comforting treat, these cookies provide the perfect canvas for creative decoration.

Forget everything you thought you knew about classic sugar cookies. While the traditional vanilla-infused treats hold a special place in our hearts, these chocolate sugar cookies elevate the experience to a whole new level. So exceptional, in fact, that this very recipe earned a coveted spot in my cookie cookbook back in 2020. They truly stand out, offering a deep chocolate flavor that’s both familiar and excitingly new.

Each bite delivers a satisfying contrast: a wonderfully chewy edge that gives way to an incredibly soft, melt-in-your-mouth center. The secret lies in the careful balance of ingredients, where cocoa powder is expertly incorporated into the dough. This infusion enriches the cookie with a luxurious chocolatey depth without compromising the delicate, tender crumb that defines a great sugar cookie. The result is a cookie that’s robust enough to hold its shape for intricate cut-outs yet tender enough to practically dissolve on your tongue.

Beyond their incredible taste and texture, these chocolate sugar cookies are remarkably versatile. Their rich chocolate base pairs beautifully with a wide array of icings and frostings. Whether you prefer a simple vanilla glaze, a vibrant royal icing, or a rich chocolate buttercream, these cookies can handle it all. The possibilities for decoration are endless! Change up the colors of your icing, experiment with different sprinkles, or use various cookie cutters to match any theme, occasion, or holiday. From Christmas trees and Halloween ghosts to birthday stars and Valentine’s hearts, these cookies are ready for anything. Just be prepared for them to disappear quickly – they’re always a crowd-pleaser!

Essential Recipe Ingredients for Perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Crafting these delectable chocolate sugar cookies requires a handful of common baking staples, mostly mirroring the list for traditional sugar cookies, with the exciting addition of cocoa powder. While the full list is provided in the recipe card below, let’s dive into the key players that make these cookies so special and discuss why each ingredient is crucial for achieving that perfect balance of flavor and texture.

• All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cookies. Accurate measurement is paramount here. I highly recommend taking the time to spoon and level your flour rather than scooping directly from the bag. Scooping can compact the flour, leading to too much in your dough. Excess flour results in a dry, crumbly dough that’s difficult to roll and produces tough, dense cookies that lack that coveted softness. Precision with flour ensures your cookies stay tender and perfectly textured.
• Cocoa Powder: This is where the magic happens for our chocolate flavor! I typically use natural unsweetened cocoa powder, which provides a classic chocolate taste and reacts with baking powder to help the cookies rise slightly. However, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which is treated to reduce its acidity, is also a fantastic option. It yields a darker, richer chocolate color and a smoother, less bitter flavor profile. For more on the differences and how they affect your baking, check out this detailed post. Popular brands like Nestle, Hershey’s, or Rodelle are all excellent choices for high-quality cocoa powder that will infuse your cookies with wonderful flavor.
• Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter allows you to control the exact amount of salt in your recipe, preventing your cookies from becoming overly salty. It also contributes significantly to the cookie’s rich flavor and tender texture. Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature before you begin; this is critical for proper creaming with sugar, creating air pockets that contribute to the cookie’s lightness. If you only have salted butter on hand, simply omit the additional salt from the recipe.
• Granulated Sugar: A “sugar cookie” wouldn’t be complete without it! In this recipe, I’ve found that 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar strikes the ideal balance. This amount provides enough sweetness to perfectly offset the natural bitterness of the cocoa powder, ensuring a harmonious and delicious flavor profile. Beyond sweetness, sugar also aids in achieving that desirable chewy texture and helps the cookies brown beautifully during baking.
• Large Egg: The egg acts as a binder, holding the dough together, and adds richness and moisture. Like butter, ensure your egg is at room temperature. A room temperature egg emulsifies better with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother, more uniform dough.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: A crucial flavor enhancer, vanilla extract complements and deepens the chocolate notes. Opt for pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
• Baking Powder: Our leavening agent! Baking powder helps the cookies rise slightly and contributes to their tender crumb. Make sure it’s fresh for optimal results.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is essential for balancing and enhancing all the flavors in the cookies, especially the chocolate. It prevents the cookies from tasting flat and brings out their richness.
• Icing: The fun part! You can use any icing or frosting you like to adorn these cookies. For classic, beautiful designs, my top recommendations are either easy sugar cookie icing (which hardens nicely for stacking) or royal icing (perfect for intricate details and a crisp finish). However, don’t limit yourself! A luscious chocolate buttercream frosting, a vibrant strawberry frosting, or a nutty peanut butter frosting would also pair wonderfully, adding another layer of flavor and indulgence.

How To Make Irresistible Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Making these chocolate sugar cookies is a straightforward and rewarding process. Follow these steps carefully to ensure perfectly textured, flavorful cookies every time. The key is in the details, from properly preparing your dough to patiently chilling it.

Phase 1: Crafting the Silky Smooth Cookie Dough

1. Cream Butter and Sugar: Begin by beating the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a handheld electric mixer in a large mixing bowl. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined. This crucial step incorporates air into the butter, which will help create a tender cookie.
2. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Next, add the room temperature large egg and pure vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Mix until just combined, ensuring all ingredients are fully incorporated. Don’t forget to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
3. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, the careful preparation of your dry ingredients is key. Sift together the all-purpose flour and cocoa powder. Sifting helps remove any lumps and ensures these ingredients are evenly distributed, leading to a smooth dough and consistent cookie texture. After sifting, whisk in the baking powder and salt until thoroughly combined.
4. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. It’s important not to overmix the dough at this stage, as overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough cookies. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour are visible. The dough will be thick but pliable.
5. Divide and Roll the Dough: Once your perfect cookie dough comes together, divide it into two equal halves. Take one half and place it on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper directly on top of the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out evenly until it is approximately 1/4-inch thick. Rolling between parchment paper not only prevents sticking but also helps achieve a uniform thickness, which is vital for even baking. Repeat this process with the remaining half of the cookie dough.
6. Chill the Dough: This step is non-negotiable for success! With the dough still rolled out between the two pieces of parchment paper, carefully transfer both sheets onto separate baking sheets. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This chilling period allows the butter to firm back up, preventing the cookies from spreading excessively in the oven and ensuring they hold their intricate shapes beautifully. Chilling also gives the flavors a chance to meld, resulting in a more delicious cookie. For even better results, you can chill the dough overnight.

Phase 2: Cutting Shapes, Baking, and Decorating

7. Cut Out Shapes: Once the dough has sufficiently chilled and is firm, remove one sheet from the refrigerator. Peel off the top layer of parchment paper. Now, let your creativity shine! Use your favorite 2.5-inch to 3-inch cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes. For cleaner cuts, dip your cookie cutter in a little flour between each cut.
8. Prepare for Baking: Carefully transfer the cut-out chocolate sugar cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Ensure you leave a small amount of space between each cookie to allow for slight spreading during baking. Gather any dough scraps, gently press them together, roll them out again between parchment paper, and cut out more shapes until all the dough is used. Repeat this entire cutting process with the second chilled dough sheet.
9. Bake to Perfection: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (180°C). Bake the cookies for approximately 11 to 13 minutes, or just until the tops appear set and the edges are lightly firm. It’s crucial not to overbake these cookies if you want to maintain their soft and chewy texture. They might not look fully “done” when you pull them out, but they will continue to set as they cool.
10. Cool and Decorate: Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes. This helps them firm up before handling. After 10 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. This full cooling is essential before you begin decorating, as warm cookies will melt your beautiful icing. As mentioned before, I highly recommend using sugar cookie icing or royal icing for their smooth finish and ability to harden, but feel free to use any frosting or icing that you love!

Storage & Freezing Instructions for Maximum Freshness

Proper storage is key to enjoying your delicious chocolate sugar cookies for days, or even months! Whether you’re making them ahead for a special event or saving leftovers, here’s how to keep them at their best:

Room Temperature Storage: Undecorated or decorated cookies (with icing that has fully hardened, like royal or sugar cookie icing) can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Place a piece of parchment paper between layers of cookies if stacking to prevent sticking or smudging the decorations. They are designed to stay wonderfully soft for days, making them absolutely perfect for preparing in advance of a bustling holiday gathering or an exciting cookie exchange!

Freezing Baked Cookies: These cookies freeze beautifully for longer storage, up to three months. If your cookies are decorated with royal icing or a hard-setting sugar cookie icing (as I recommended), you can freeze them once the icing has completely hardened. Simply layer them in an airtight freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper if desired, and freeze.

Freezing Cookies with Buttercream Frosting: If you opt for a softer frosting like regular buttercream, you can still freeze the cookies after they’ve been frosted, but an extra step is highly recommended. First, arrange the frosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for about an hour. This will harden the buttercream, preventing it from sticking. Once flash-frozen, you can then transfer them to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container, layering them with parchment paper. Skipping this flash-freezing step will likely result in all your beautifully frosted cookies sticking together in a messy clump. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw the frozen cookies at room temperature for several hours.

Recipe Video

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Prep Time:
40 mins

Cook Time:
13 mins

Chilling Time:
1 hr

Total Time:
1 hr 53 mins

Chocolate sugar cookies are a unique take on the classic cookie. They’re soft, delicious, and can be decorated to suit any holiday!

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Ingredients

Servings:
25 cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened (230 grams; 2 sticks)
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (225 grams)
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (280 grams)
• ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (45 grams)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 batch sugar cookie icing or royal icing

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Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined.

2. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, making sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together, then whisk in the baking powder and salt until well combined.

4. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.

5. Divide the dough in half. Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper, add half of the dough, top with another piece of parchment paper, and roll the dough to ¼-inch thick between the pieces of parchment paper. Repeat with the other half of the dough.

6. Leaving the dough between the parchment paper, place them on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least one hour.

7. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two to three large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.

8. Remove one sheet of the cookie dough from the refrigerator and peel off the top layer of parchment paper. Using 2.5-inch to 3-inch cookie cutters, cut the cookie dough into shapes and place them onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each one.

9. Re-roll any scrap pieces of dough between the two pieces of parchment paper and continue cutting out shapes. Repeat with the other sheet of chilled cookie dough.

10. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

11. Top with your favorite sugar cookie icing or royal icing. Allow the icing to dry completely before serving.

Notes

Storage Instructions: Cookies may be covered tightly and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Freezing Instructions: Baked cookies will freeze well for up to 3 months, thaw on the counter for several hours.

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Author:
Danielle Rye

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