A chocolate lovers dream! These soft and chewy chocolate cookies make for a fun twist on the traditional sugar cookies that you know and love.
This is a great, easy recipe for those who are new to baking, or for when you want a sweet treat without a ton of fuss. The dough comes together in no time at all, and they bake up quickly, leaving you with a delicious chewy chocolate sugar cookie that will satisfy those cravings.
Searching for some more chocolatey cookie recipes? Check out these Brownie Crinkle cookies!
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Why you'll love these chocolate sugar cookies
- This perfect chocolate sugar cookie recipe incredibly easy to make. It does not require any chilling, fancy ingredients, or even a rolling pin.* They make for a great Valentine's Day or birthday treat!
- The granulated sugar coating gives these sugar cookies a slightly crispy exterior with a perfectly chewy and soft middle, just like my Classic Sugar Cookies
- Even beginner bakers can make these cookies. They can be prepared in no time, and they bake quickly, making these a great recipe for inexperienced bakers!
* Please note this not a recipe for cut-out cookies. These sugar cookies are drop cookies, not meant for decorating with royal icing.
Ingredients & substitutions for chocolate sugar cookie recipe
- All-purpose flour: all-purpose flour is the best choice for this recipe and you likely have this already in your pantry!
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: as always, I recommend using the best quality cocoa powder you can afford. Not only will the cocoa powder be less clumpy like the cheap versions tend to be, but the flavor will be more pronounced with a higher quality product, giving these cookies a rich chocolate flavor. I like Ghirardelli, Guittard, or Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Butter: I recommend opting for unsalted butter for this recipe as this makes it easier to control the salt content. Be sure to remove your butter from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to baking so it has time to soften for perfect room temperature butter. Hard, cold butter will not incorporate evenly when mixed, leaving chunks of butter throughout your dough. This is not what you want in this recipe for soft chocolate sugar cookies.
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar: use dark brown sugar to add a nice caramel flavor to these sugar cookies
- Eggs: you will need one large egg for these cookies. For best results, remove the egg from the fridge about 30 minutes before baking to allow it to come to room temperature. This will allow it to incorporate more easily with the rest of the ingredients.
- Vanilla: use the highest quality vanilla extract possible, and avoid imitation vanilla, as this makes a big difference and the taste of your cookies. Here's my go-to Vanilla Extract
How to make the best chocolate sugar cookies
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with pieces of parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside
Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set flour mixture aside.
Step 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, cream butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Step 4
Add in the egg and vanilla to the bowl of your stand mixer and mix until well combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 5
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, just until the dough is well combined. Do not over mix.
Step 6
Place the remaining granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, scoop sugar cookie dough into 1 ½ - 2 tablespoon-sized balls. Gently roll the dough balls between your palms into a smooth ball and roll in sugar to coat. Set on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Step 7
Bake cookies in the hot oven for 9-11 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown on the edges, rotating the trays halfway through baking. Do not overbake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pro tips
- Be careful when measuring out your flour. Adding too much flour to the dough can leave you with dry cookies.
- It can be a bit difficult to tell when chocolate cookies are done baking, especially because baking time may vary from oven to oven. Keep a close eye on the cookies and remove them from the oven when they began to turn golden brown with crisp edges. Avoid overbaking as they may burn quickly.
More Baking Tips & Shortcuts
As busy people, we don't have time to wait for butter to come to room temperature. In this FREE Guide, you'll find baking tips and shortcuts to help get you baking faster!
FAQs
How to store chocolate sugar cookies?
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container, or covered with plastic wrap and left at room temperature for up to one week. To freeze baked cookies, place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and store them for up to 3 months.
Does the dough need to be chilled before baking?
Nope! There is no need to chill this sugar cookie dough before baking. Simply roll the dough into balls, lightly coat them in sugar, and they're ready to be baked!
Like this recipe? Follow me on Pinterest for lots more recipes just like this one! And don’t forget to pin this recipe for later by clicking on one of the images below the recipe. Or, click on any of the images in this post to save to Pinterest.
More cookies recipes
Malt Ball Cookies
Delicious, chewy cookies packed with the wonderful flavor of malted milk powder! Drizzle these with melted milk chocolate and sprinkle over some crushed malted milk balls for a sweet treat that's sure to be a hit with the whole family!
Milk Chocolate Toffee Cookies
You can never have too many variations on a classic chocolate chip cookie! These milk chocolate toffee cookies are filled with large chunks of high-quality milk chocolate and sweet toffee!
Lemon Crinkle Cookies
The perfect cookie for citrus lovers! These lemon citrus cookies have the perfect balance of tart lemon with a touch of sweetness to make for a dessert that's great for Spring and Summer!
Soft Brown Sugar Cookies
With perfectly chewy centers and that classic comforting brown sugar flavor, you'd never guess that these cookies are made without butter. Rolling the dough in a combination of sugar and brown sugar is the secret to getting a slightly crispy exterior to a cookie that is otherwise soft and moist!
Sugar Cookie Bars
Not in the mood for rolling out individual cookies? Give these sugar cookie bars a try! They have all the flavor of the sugar cookies that you know and love, but you can easily bake them in one pan and slice them into individual bars!
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, mix in the dry ingredients just until the dough is well combined. Do not over mix.
- Add remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar to a small bowl. Using a medium sized cookie scoop, scoop dough into 1 ½ - 2 tablespoon sized balls. Gently roll between your palms into a smooth ball and roll in sugar to coat. Set on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until they are just starting to turn golden brown on the edges, rotating the trays halfway through baking. Do not overbake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to one week
- Baked cookies may be frozen for up to 3 months
Nutrition
