Simply Perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Simply the perfect chocolate sugar cookies! With a soft & tender center, crisp edges, and no spreading whatsoever as they bake.
How was your Thanksgiving?
Mine was great! I worked my heiny off, you guys. I mean, wow. Like, 3 straight days on my feet. One recipe after another, nonstop. I was a machine! Everything was made from scratch, right down to the French-fried onions on the green bean casserole. It was awesome, and there was TONS of food. I had a great time in the kitchen with my mom and brother-in-law, and it was great to see everyone, especially my brand-new baby niece!
We got home on Friday evening, just in time to have a day and a half with the other side of my family. So nice. And Sunday I was all over town looking for the Christmas tree, and then setting it up and decorating it. I’m so happy we are now officially in the Christmas season!
For a lot of reasons, but mostly because COOKIES.
Cookies are my favorite thing ever to bake, and I wish I posted more cookie recipes than I have been. I’m going to try to make that up to you guys over the next few weeks. Starting with these chocolate sugar cookies.
What do you call this kind of cookie? Is it a sugar cookie? A butter cookie? A roll out cookie? A cut out cookie? A decorated cookie? I wasn’t quite sure what to call it but hopefully you get the idea.
Last year at this time I got waaaaaaay into these. I’m sure you can imagine that it was a perfect outlet for my complete compulsion/neurosis/obsession with pretty food. They are so much fun, I loved coming up with unique designs and perfecting my decorating skills. You can waste all sorts of time playing with icing and toothpicks and sugars and sprinkles. But today I’m keeping it simple and sharing my favorite recipe for the cookie part.
And this is more than just a recipe, friends. While in the throes of my cookie obsession, I did a lot of research and experimentation with different techniques, because I’m sure you can imagine, I wanted the most perfect result. So here’s everything I learned. There’s no one I’d rather share it with than you 😉
The flavor of the cookie is very chocolate-y. I am not one to shy away from bold chocolate flavor. If you’ve read my Simply Perfect Chocolate Cupcake post, or my Simply Perfect Brownie post, then you already know this about me. These chocolate sugar cookies have a deep, dark, chocolate flavor from all the cocoa (almost like an Oreo).
It’s a little less sweet. I do enjoy eating this cookie plain, but I think it’s even more important not to overdo the sugar when you’re dealing with a cookie that’s going to be iced and/or sprinkled with sugar. (If you need an icing recipe for them, I’ve got one right here.) It’s all about balance, yo.
Also, the texture of these chocolate sugar cookies is tender, yet sturdy. They come out of the oven with a little softness in the center, and a little more crunch around the edges. After a few days, they tend to lose the soft quality, so if you prefer a crunchy cookie, you will like that. They make a great gift, because of how sturdy they are. You can pack them up and ship them, and rest assured that they will arrive in one piece.
The dough is great to work with. It holds together so nicely, so you don’t have crumbly crumbs all over your kitchen floor. You don’t need to sprinkle your work surface with flour (hallelujah!). Not only does this cut down on the cleanup, but it allows you to re-roll the scraps without them getting tough. And they bake up so beautifully, without spreading, AT ALL. This is the whole key, people. The edges are PERFECT.
You may notice that this recipe looks a little different from a lot of other cookie recipes out there. Without getting too long-winded, here’s a quick rundown of why I do what I do:
- Cold butter: Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading. Using cold butter and working quickly eliminates the added step of chilling. Cutting it in small cubes helps it to incorporate more easily.
- Oil: Oil keeps the cookies moist/soft. If you prefer a crunchier cookie, you can replace the oil with an additional 1/4 cup of unsalted butter.
- Mix on low speed for the minimum time required to incorporate the ingredients. Make sure the mixture is smooth (no lumps of butter), but don’t cream until fluffy. Whipping in a lot of air will contribute to spreading.
- Leave out the leavening: there is no need for baking powder and/or baking soda. Leaveners make baked goods rise, puff, and spread. Omitting the leavening allows the edges to remain neat and clean, and the cookie lays flatter. The texture is still tender because of the ratio of fats to sugar and flour, but the cookie is sturdier.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch lends tenderness and a softer texture, and helps the cookies to hold their shape during baking.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Gives a deep, chocolate-y flavor. Use the best quality you can get your hands on. I prefer natural cocoa powder to an alkalized/Dutch process, such as Hershey’s Special Dark. This brand will yield a darker color, but a less intense chocolate flavor.
- Flour quantity may vary. The longer the dough sits, the more it will dry out, so use more flour if you’re rolling/cutting right away; less if you plan to keep the dough in the fridge for a while before baking. I usually roll and cut right away, so I put in a cup and a half to start, then add more by the tablespoon until it starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Rolling the dough between two layers of parchment is cleaner and prevents toughness. Bench flour is not necessary with this method, and scraps can be re-rolled and utilized.
- Baking at a higher temperature “sets” the edges, allowing the cookie to hold it’s shape better.
And just a few words about bake times and yield:
- Baking times will vary based upon the size and thickness of your cookies. For this post, I rolled the dough to a thickness of 1/4-inch (using rolling pin rings) and cut 2-inch diameter cookies. They baked for 9 minutes. Larger or thicker cookies may require a longer bake time. The cookies are done when the tops take on a dry appearance, and the edges are firm. The centers may still be slightly soft.
- Yield will vary based upon the size of your cookies. For this post, I rolled the dough to a thickness of 1/4-inch (using rolling pin rings) and cut 2-inch diameter fluted circles, and the batch yielded 46 cookies.
If you want to read more about how to make the most perfect roll out, cut out, butter/sugar cookies for decorating, check out this post I wrote last year. Also there’s a really great vanilla cookie recipe there.
I hope you enjoy making these chocolate sugar cookies with your loved ones! I was intimidated by roll out/cut out/butter/sugar/decorated cookies, for the longest time, until I figured out this method for making it all much more manageable.
PS- If you are looking to stock your recipe box with some really stellar basic recipes, you came to the right place! I’ve been baking for, ahem, 20-some odd years, cough-cough, so I’ve played with lots of recipes. Check out these other recipes from my “Simply Perfect” series:
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Simply Perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) cold unsalted butter, (1 stick), cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon oil, (light/neutral flavor such as canola, grapeseed, or light olive oil)
- 2/3 cup (133.33 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
- 1/2 cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cups (156.25 g) all-purpose flour, (you may need as much as 2 cups)
Instructions
- Cream the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, just until the mixture is smooth. (Do not over beat, as this will incorporate air into the dough, which may lead to spreading.)
- Add the egg and mix just until incorporated.
- Mix in the cornstarch, cocoa powder and 1 1/4 cups of the flour.
- Continue adding flour until the dough gathers itself into a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. (You may not need all the flour.)
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Roll the dough to a thickness of 3/8-inch, between two sheets of parchment paper. (Rolling pin rings will help you to achieve an even thickness.)
- Cut shapes using a cookie cutter.
- Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets for 9 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies look dry on the surface, and feel firm around the edges and set in the middle.
- Cool completely, then decorate with royal icing.
Hi Allie
This recipe looks great. I want to make little monkey shaped biscuits to top a cake I am making on Saturday. The challenge is that I dont have one of those cake mixer gadgets. I have a regular magimix, or I can do it by hand. Do you have any suggestions on how I can use either of those to make the recipe?
Is a magimix like an electric hand mixer? If so I’d say use that to start, and as the dough starts to become very stiff, switch to kneading by hand. That should work well! Good luck- your idea sounds completely adorable!
This question is exactly what I was looking for too, trying to see how far in advance I can make the cookies. What do you recommend for the best method of defrosting the cookies? In the fridge or at room temp?
I think either way would work just fine Rachel. These are a very sturdy cookie, it would be tough to mess them up! Good luck!
Hi, just wondering how long in advance you can make these cookies? Will they keep for a week?
Hi there! They should definitely keep for at least a week, but they tend to become more crunchy the longer they sit at room temp. If you’d like to keep them softer, I’d recommend freezing them in an airtight container until you’re ready to decorate/serve. Hope that’s helpful; thanks for reading Isabelle!
Hi there,
I was thinking of making batman slice and cut cookie with this recipe. Thinking of this as the bat symbol and using your other vanilla recipe to be the outside. will they work as slice and back cookies and bake together?
or am i best to go with the vanilla cut out cookie recipe and maybe add cocoa powder and black food colouring?
Thanks for your help
Wow, what a fun idea! I think it could work well, especially if you’re using a dark cocoa powder. I would either stick to this recipe or just add black gel paste to some of the vanilla. If you added cocoa powder too the dough could become too stiff/tough. Good luck!
Hi Allie! Let me tell you how fabulous this recipe is! I doubled it to roll out extra and freeze. I also added chocolate extract instead of the vanilla (cause why not?) They taste way better than the regular roll out sugar cookie recipes I’ve tried…and they hold their shape beautifully! I’ve cut and baked 2 sets of cookies now. I would post a pic but I don’t see anywhere to do so? Thank you so much for sharing!
That’s so awesome to hear Chris! Thanks so much for the great feedback. PS- chocolate extract sounds like a great idea!
Hi there, I just found your recipe while looking for a good recipe for chocolate cookies. They look amazing!
My son is working on a school project where he needs to create his own cereal (box, advertisement, slogan, etc) using whatever ingredients he prefers. He decided on chocolate cookies and marshmallows (every kids dream, junk food for breakfast)(lol). While it is not required he actually make the cereal I thought it would be fun to really bring this project life. So, I think this recipe will be perfect to make an awesome tasting cereal. To make the cookies a small cereal size I’m going to use the one of the icing tips I use with my tubing bags. In making the cookies this small I’m unsure about the best baking time. Do you have a recommendation on this? Thanks, I appreciate you taking the time to help me out!
Wow that sounds really fun! I would guesstimate no more than 5 minutes on a cookie that small, but that would depend a bit on how thick they are. It may be one of those things you’ll have to tinker around with. I like to pull mine from the oven when they’re set around the edges but still a bit soft in the center, but you might prefer them to be crunchy all the way through. Good luck and let me know how it all works out!
I wondered if you had a regular sugar cookie recipe like this?
Yes, I do! You can find that here Louis: https://bakingamoment.com/how-to-bake-easy-and-delicious-cutout-cookies-with-neat-edges/. Good luck and enjoy!
Do you have experience/advice making these with shortening vs butter? My butter budget is insane right now. I’m making these into Mickey Mouse head shapes for my daughters birthday. The shortening to butter conversion is usually the same amount plus 2T water. Please advise 🙂
Hey Amanda! Girl, I totally feel you. I go through SO much butter. For this recipe, I have not done all butter, but I have done a combination of butter and shortening, omitting the oil. The result is very good! If all shortening works out well for you, I’d love it if you could swing back and let me know. I’m sure there are probably other readers too who’d like to trim expenses. Thanks so much!
Hi Allie, I just made your chocolate cookie dough today, I have not baked them yet. I used the whole 2 cups of flour and my dough came out beautiful! Not dry at all, super smooth and pliable! I’m not afraid of raw cookie dough so I had to sneak a taste and it tasted just like a tootsie roll lol! I have a couple of questions for you, I like my cookies to remain soft and wondered if you have ever used brown sugar in the cookie dough, I heard it helps dough to remain softer. Also, if I under bake the cookies to help the softness factor, will they be sturdy enough to decorate? Thank you for your help, I just found you on you tube a few days ago and I’m super excited about your cookie recipes! Dora
Thanks so much Dora! I’m so glad you found me, lol! Great questions. I actually prefer them a little softer too, so I like your brown sugar idea and I think it’s totally fine to underbake. I would just make sure they feel “set” around the edges, and if they are going to be decorated with royal icing, that should really help the sturdiness factor (since it dries almost hard-candy-like). If you don’t already have a royal icing recipe you love, here’s my favorite: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiZqKfbsuDRAhXojlQKHakaC_wQFggaMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbakingamoment.com%2Ficed-chocolate-peppermint-cookies%2F&usg=AFQjCNFGX9rUwo2rdWQIg5KzfQkNph6qHg&sig2=xdFcl-NZohNmehzBPHGgbA&bvm=bv.145063293,d.eWE. Good luck and enjoy!
Thanks so much Allie!!!
You bet!
Hi again Allie! I had to check back in with you, I had not baked my cookies yet when I commented before, they are now baked and they are the most beautiful cookies I have ever made! They are perfect, it’s unbelievable lol! My husband even commented at how perfect they came out! Is it the cornstarch that keeps them from spreading and the edges, they are so square and perfect, is that from the cornstarch too? And the texture is fabulous, you’re a genius!! Thank you for sharing, I really can’t wait to try more of your recipes but tomorrow I am decorating those perfect cookies, how exciting, I can’t wait! Thank you soooo much!!! Dora
Oh that’s wonderful Dora! I’m so glad you and your husband were happy with them. That cornstarch is a magic ingredient, right? Have fun decorating! And thanks so much for the great feedback 😉
I would like to use this recipe for thin mint cookies. Couple of questions:
Flour: If I convert to metric weight, is flour volume based on King Arthur Flour standard of 120 grams per cup or the Dorie Greenspan 136 grams per cup, or the America’s Test Kitchen 142 grams per
Butter: American butter with higher water and lower butterfat, or kerrygold higher butterfat, lower water? I’m going to omit the oil and increase the butter for a crunchier cookie.
Flour protein: higher protein flour, like King Arthur AP 11.7% or lower like Gold Medal 10.5%
I love that you eliminated the leavening. When a sharp clean line and perfect shape is desired, leavening and butter can ruin the best laid plains.
Thank you for all insight.
Hey Cate! Thanks so much for reading and for the excellent questions. I will do my best to answer them all:
Flour: I have a printable weight conversion chart that you may find useful- https://bakingamoment.com/weight-conversions-for-baking/. Short answer: 120.
Butter: I have used all kinds of butter, from the most expensive European import all the way down to the cheapest, generic grocery store brand. The higher butterfat always tastes better, but I haven’t found the difference (beyond flavor) to be all that much (in terms of the chemistry of the recipe). In other words, you could use whatever you prefer and the cookie should still bake up nicely.
Flour protein: Again, I think the difference is negligible, but my favorite is White Lily, which is milled from a soft red winter wheat. http://www.whitelily.com/
Thanks again for reading, and for the great questions! I hope I’ve been helpful. Enjoy your thin mints and have a great holiday season!
Allie, thank you for the detailed response. I’m going to bake tomorrow, so it was timely. Based on your reply, I’m going to use Central Milling Pastry flour, soft white wheat (10%), and cut it with their AP Beehive flour (10.5%). I’ve blended the two successfully when I’ve wanted the strudy structure, but with a tender delicate crumb.
White Lily is a lovely flour, but so difficult to find in California. On the rare occasions it shows up on the store shelves, it’s snapped up in a flash. I’m guilty of hoarding 20 lbs of it when I see it.
Have a warm and Merry Christmas
Cate
I hoard it too Cate! The good news is, it’s available via mail-order, and from what I hear they’re expanding their availability. But it sounds like you’ve got it all figured out! Good luck with your thin mints and I hope you enjoy!
Do you think I could do like a linzer sort of thing with these cookies? With the raspberry jam in the middle? How do you think that would be 🙂
That sounds absolutely delicious Nikki!
Made these today. Loved the dough. Easy to cut out very small little gingerbread men I use for cupcake decorations. Can I freeze the cookies. I do not want to ice them till Friday.
I’m so happy you like them Diane! You can absolutely freeze them, they’ll hold up great till Friday. Have fun decorating!
Thank you for the recipe! I should have held back on the flour though, I added too much which kind of screwed up my cookies: http://www.suziethefoodie.com/badass-chocolate-halloween-cookies/
Aw I’m sorry to hear that Suzie! Yes sometimes they take more flour and sometimes you can get away with less. If that ever happens to you again, you can moisten the dough back up with a few drops of heavy cream. 😉
Dough was too wet even at 1 3/4 cups of flour. Was it because of my peppermint that I added? Since I was going to chill the dough I did not add any more flour for fear that it would be crumbly but it remains a soggy mess even after chilling…. Help!!!!
Addie I’m so sorry- I know I replied to your comment a few days ago but it’s still showing up as unread so there must have been a glitch! Please just go ahead and add the flour it needs. Sometimes the dough can take more and sometimes less. The key is to stop adding flour when the dough forms a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. I hope that helps and again, I’m sorry my first reply didn’t go through!
These turned out great for me! I made them just as directed, and they are really delicious!! The only thing is they are a little crumbly – my kids made a huge mess eating them! Is there any way to cut down on the crumbs just a bit?
Hey Melissa! I’m so glad you and your kids liked the cookies! If they seem a little too dry or crumbly, just cut back on the flour slightly. Sometimes you may not need all the flour, depending on the humidity in the air. You can stop adding flour just as soon as the dough gathers into a ball. If you accidentally overdo it, you can moisten things back up with a few drops of cream. I hope that helps! Thanks so much for reading and for the great question 🙂
Very happy to have found this recipe. I needed a chocolate cut out cookie that was sturdy enough to mail in bulk (I made wedding favor cookies for a friend) as well as delicious. I found the dough a little soft in the handling (even after chilling), but they baked beautifully without spreading and were firm enough to pack and ship. I didn’t ice them (just sprinkled sparkling sugar on them before baking), and found them perfect as is. FYI, I made a triple batch to get about 5 dozen 3′ cookies.
Thank you so much for the great feedback Janice! Next time if it seems too soft, feel free to add a little more flour to get it to exactly the right consistency. Sometimes the humidity in the air can have an effect on stuff like that. So happy you like this recipe; thanks again for sharing your experience here!