Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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Chocolate sugar cookies are buttery, tender and melt in your mouth with each delicious bite! These are the perfect elevated cookies to cut out and frost for Valentine’s Day, or any day!

Cookies are the best dessert because everyone loves them and they work for any occasion! Next, try my favoriteno-bake cookies,perfectly soft peanut butter cookies and theseloaded ranger cookiesthat you will go crazy over!

Incredible chocolate sugar cookies are just as heavenly as my classic sugar cookies but with a chocolate twist! Using simple ingredients and an easy baking process, you will satisfy not only your sweet tooth but your chocolate craving too! I love to get my kids in the kitchen with me and cut these into fun and festive shapes. You can even add frosting for an extra special touch.

These chocolate sugar cookies will definitely go fast at any gathering or party. They’re always a unique surprise because most people will serve something likechocolate chip cookiesorbrownies,so I love to bring this dessert. It never takes long for the rave reviews to start rolling in, and everyone asks for the recipe. In fact, because they are so adored, you might want to double the recipe. They keep for days and store well in the freezer, too!

Ingredients Needed

This chocolate sugar cookies recipe only requires a handful of basic baking ingredients, yet they come together for a delightful treat that is perfect for any occasion. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all of the exact measurements.

Unsalted Butter: It’s best to use unsalted butter, so that you have control over the amount of salt going into the recipe. Allow it to soften to room temperature before beginning the recipe.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cookies without overwhelming the chocolate flavor.
Egg Yolks and Egg: To bind the ingredients together, and using plenty of egg yolks adds amazing richness.
Vanilla Extract: To enhance the flavor.
All-Purpose Flour: Use all-purpose flour for a tender cookie with wonderful texture in each bite.
Salt: Just a little bit of salt to bring all of the flavors together.
Baking Powder: Ensures these bake properly with the perfect spread and lift.
Cocoa Powder: For just the right amount of chocolate flavor.

How to Make Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These are so fun to make for the holidays or anytime of year! You can cut them into any shape, and even decorate them with icing. Follow the instructions below for how to make these cookies.

Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add Egg and Vanilla: Add in the egg yolks, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on medium-low speed to combine. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, but do not over-mix.
Roll Dough and Cut Shapes: Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out your desired shapes and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 ½ inches between them. Gather the scraps of dough together and roll out again. Repeat until all the dough has been cut out.
Bake: Bake for 7-9 minutes, just until the centers of the cookies have lost their sheen and look matte. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Frost: Frost the cooled cookies with buttercream, royal icing, or any other frosting of your choice.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies - The Recipe Critic (2)

Tips for Making Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Making this cookie recipe is easy, but there are a few things to keep in mind, so they’re perfect every time. Follow my tips below to help make your baking a success!

Cocoa Powder: Using high-quality cocoa powder will yield better chocolate flavor! If desired, substitute 2 tablespoons of regular cocoa powder for Dutched cocoa powder for a deeper, richer chocolate flavor.
Don’t Overbake! If you bake these cookies until the edges are fully set, they will be hard once they cool. The centers of the cookies should just barely turn matte when they are removed from the oven.
Don’t skip cooling on the pan! Letting the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes allows the baking process to continue without the intense heat of the oven. If you remove them from the pan right after taking them out of the oven, the center will be slightly underbaked and they may fall apart as you transfer them.
Use any kind of frosting! Chocolate is a hit with so many flavors. You don’t need to use fancy royal icing to pipe intricate designs for these cookies to be enjoyed, although they do make a great decorated cookie. Plain buttercream, homemade buttercream, orange glaze, strawberry icing… so many wonderful options to tailor these cut-out cookies to your liking.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies - The Recipe Critic (3)

Storing Leftover Cookies

These chocolate sugar cookies are so irresistible that you’ll want to enjoy them as long as possible! Here’s some tips on how to keep leftovers tasting fresh and delicious for longer!

Make Ahead: The dough may be made in advance and chilled for up to 24 hours before being rolled out, however, it is significantly more difficult to roll it out when it has been chilled. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours to thaw before rolling out.
In the Freezer: The baked chocolate sugar cookies may be frozen and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours before frosting and serving.
In the Refrigerator: Frosted sugar cookies may be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 8 days, or at room temperature for up to 5, though this will also depend on the type of frosting you use on them.
Freezing Frosted Cookies: Chocolate sugar cookies frosted with royal icing may be frozen for 4 hours while laying in a single layer on a baking sheet before being transferred into a large freezer bag. Allow the cookies to thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies - The Recipe Critic (4)

More Chocolate Cookies

Cookies are one of the best desserts because they are easy to make, easy to transport, and easy to eat. They’re popular with everyone! And there is just something about a flavorful chocolate cookie that tastes so amazing. Here are some of our favorites to try next.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

37 mins

German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Desserts

Chocolate Snowball Cookies

Desserts

Chocolate Peppermint Gingersnaps

20 mins

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Chocolate Sugar Cookies

By: Alyssa Rivers

Chocolate sugar cookies are buttery, tender and melt in your mouth with each delicious bite! These are the perfect elevated cookies to cut out and frost for Valentine's Day, or any day!

Ingredients

▢ 1 ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
▢ 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
▢ 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
▢ 1 large egg, room temperature
▢ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
▢ 1 teaspoon salt
▢ ¾ teaspoon baking powder
▢ ⅔ cup cocoa powder

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure the butter and sugar are evenly incorporated.
Add in the egg yolks, egg, and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on medium-low speed just until they are fully combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, but do not over-mix.
Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out your desired shapes and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1 ½ inches between them. Gather the scraps of dough together and roll out again, repeating until all the dough has been cut out.
Bake for 7-9 minutes, just until the centers of the cookies have lost their sheen and look matte. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Frost the cooled cookies with buttercream, royal icing, or any other frosting of your choice.

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 71mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 232IUCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

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Chocolate Sugar Cookies - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

Can you substitute almond extract for vanilla in sugar cookies? ›

How to Substitute: Substitute about half as much almond extract for the amount of vanilla called for in the recipe. Almond extract is stronger than vanilla and if you are not trying to make your baked good taste almond-y, you want to be judicious about how much you use.

Read On ›

What is are some key tips in ensuring a successful sugar cookie? ›

Sugar Cookie Tips for the Best-Ever Treats

Add an Egg Yolk. This is one of those sugar cookie tips you may have heard of before: Add an extra egg yolk to your cookies. ...
Use Brown Sugar. ...
Chill the Dough. ...
Add a Secret Ingredient. ...
Keep an Eye on the Clock. ...
Store Cookies the Right Way.

Jun 20, 2018

Why did my sugar cookies crack? ›

Issues with cracking usually derive from the sugar coating, not enough or expired baking powder or baking soda, or the oven temperature isn't hot enough. Solution: Granulated sugar is more effective at drying the surface than powdered sugar.

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Are sugar cookies hard? ›

The very best sugar cookies are soft and tender. → Follow this tip: One of the keys to great sugar cookies is mixing the dry ingredients only until they're just incorporated, and not a second longer. Once the dry ingredients are added, less mixing equals more tender cookies.

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What happens if I don't use vanilla extract in my cookies? ›

If you don't have any on hand, you can almost always omit the vanilla without impacting the final texture of your baked goods; although the rich flavor extract—or any form of vanilla—brings will certainly be altered. Just remember one thing: flavor comes first.

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How much honey to replace vanilla extract? ›

Honey. Honey adds a bright, floral sweetness to desserts. Like maple syrup, it can also enhance the texture of baked goods. Use 1 tablespoon of honey to replace 1 teaspoon (tsp) of vanilla extract.

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What does cornstarch do in sugar cookies? ›

Cornstarch does kind of incredible things to cookies. I mean not only does it give them soft centers, prevents them from spreading, and makes them somewhat thick (in a good way), but it also contributes to the chewiness factor, which, in my opinion, is the most important cookie attribute.

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Why are my sugar cookies puffing up so much? ›

Too much butter in your cookie dough can cause spreading while baking as the dough doesn't have enough binding ingredients and the fats simply will melt and spread.

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Should I chill my sugar cookie dough? ›

Chilling the dough also improves the way your cookies taste. "In terms of flavor, you'll notice more depth of flavor from the vanilla and the sugar will taste sweeter," says Haught Brown. "In terms of texture, chilled cookie dough produces a more evenly golden-brown cookie with a crisper edge and chewier center."

Should sugar cookies be thick or thin? ›

The ideal thickness to roll out your sugar cookie dough is about 1/4"--that way, they'll be tough enough to be handled and decorated, but thin enough to stay a little crunchy.

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What does almond extract do for cookies? ›

Almond extract is an intensely flavored and concentrated liquid used to induce the taste of almonds in a variety of delicacies. It is known for its rich flavor and is widely used in baked goods, desserts, and cooking recipes.

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What is a good substitute for vanilla in cookies? ›

If you are preparing a recipe that requires vanilla extract and you find that you've run out of vanilla in all its forms, some bakers use an equal measure of pure maple syrup in its place.

What is the ratio of almond extract to vanilla extract? ›

So, for every teaspoon of vanilla a recipe calls for, use just half a teaspoon of almond extract. By that same logic, you should double your amount of vanilla whenever you need a substitute for almond extract. Keeping this rule in mind is crucial, as you can easily overpower — or underwhelm — your baked goods.

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Does almond extract taste the same as vanilla? ›

Almond extract is significantly more potent than vanilla, but it will provide a similar flavor profile if you use it sparingly. You'll only need to use half the amount of almond extract, and you might be surprised at how much you like its nutty flavor in your favorite vanilla recipes.

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