Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Hate cutting out sugar cookies? No need to roll and cut dough with Chocolate Sugar Cookies! They’re soft chocolate sugar cookies you scoop, bake, then decorate with chocolate frosting.
One thing I love about baking cookies is all of the flavors available.
You have classics like small batch chocolate chip cookies, small batch peanut butter cookies, and snickerdoodles without cream of tartar.
You have your special Christmas cookies like small batch gingerbread cookies and red velvet sugar cookies.
I don’t think any cookie collection is complete without Chocolate Sugar Cookies.
However, I’m not a fan of decorating cookies (even though I do have my chocolate chip cut out cookies).
I love eating them. I love looking at them. But I do not enjoy chilling, rolling, cutting, more chilling, more rolling, more cutting then decorating with my subpar art skills with sprinkles all over the floor.
That’s when I opt to make sugar cookies with chocolate by scooping and baking. Less work, more time for eating cookies.
Chocolate sugar cookies are similar to my pumpkin sugar cookies and orange cookies but made for chocolate lovers with chocolate batter and creamy chocolate frosting.
They’re small batch chocolate sugar cookies that are soft in the middle with crispy edges and a slight bit of a chew.
Make them for your Christmas cookie platter. Make them for your friends. Make them as a snack while watching your favorite TV show.
Ingredients For Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Here are the ingredients you need to make your chocolate cookies without chocolate chips:
- Flour: Binds the cookie dough
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- Baking powder: A leavening agent that will result in a crisp edge and a soft middle
- Salt: No bland cookies (especially if using unsalted butter)
- Espresso powder: Intensifies the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee
- Sugar: Sweetens the cookies while also contributing to the cookie’s chewy texture
- Butter: Fat needed in the cookie and also helps the dough spread when it melts while baking
- Egg: Use a standard large egg at room temperature
- Vanilla: Enhances the chocolate flavor
What is espresso powder?
The key to the best chocolate sugar cookie recipe is espresso powder.
Espresso powder is concentrated instant coffee crystals that can be dissolved quickly in hot water. It’s similar to instant coffee but stronger in flavor.
Contrary to what you may think, it doesn’t add any noticeable coffee flavor. Rather it intensifies the chocolate flavor, similar to adding salt to otherwise bland baked goods.
You can buy espresso powder at an Italian grocery store or the Italian section of your grocery store. If you can’t find it, you can use instant coffee (although the flavor isn’t as intense).
How To Make Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Making this chocolate sugar cookie recipe is easy! Here’s how to do it:
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
- Cream together the sugar and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla, beating until incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms.
- Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are set and the middles are puffed.
Cool completely then decorate as desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week (unless using cream cheese frosting then keep refrigerated).
Frosting For Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Although you can eat your chocolate sugar cookies as is, you can also decorate them with frosting.
Make it extra chocolatey with chocolate buttercream or chocolate cream cheese frosting.
Or if you want to balance out chocolate, try small batch cream cheese frosting or small batch buttercream frosting.
Opposites attract with peanut butter frosting or peanut butter cream cheese frosting.
Go berry fresh with strawberry cream cheese frosting, strawberry buttercream frosting, or raspberry cream cheese frosting.
Whichever frosting you choose, top your cookies with festive sprinkles or mini chocolate chips.
How To Freeze Chocolate Sugar Cookies
The good thing about baking chocolate cookies without chocolate chips is they freeze very well! There are two ways you can freeze homemade chocolate sugar cookies:
- Scoop the dough into balls, place on a baking sheet or plate, then freeze for 1 hour. This keeps the dough from sticking to each other. Transfer the dough balls into a freezer-safe plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Bake cookies, cool completely, then freeze unfrosted for up to 2 months.
To bake frozen cookie dough, let thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes then bake as directed.
Chocolate Sugar Cookies FAQ
No, this sugar cookie recipe is not suitable for rolling and cutting out shapes.
Yes, you can omit the espresso powder, although please note it won’t be as chocolatey as intended.
Yes, absolutely. Double the ingredients. Bake temperature and time will be the same.
More Chocolate Cookie Recipes
Loved this recipe? Check out these other chocolate cookie recipes:
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Hate cutting out sugar cookies? No need to roll and cut dough with Chocolate Sugar Cookies! They’re soft chocolate sugar cookies you scoop, bake, then decorate with chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder (optional but makes cookies extra chocolatey)
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces or 4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 recipe Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (get recipe here) or Chocolate Buttercream (get recipe here)
- Sprinkles or mini chocolate chips, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
- In a large mixing bowl (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), beat on medium-high speed the sugar and butter until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl then beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Turn the speed down to low then gradually beat in the flour mixture until a dough forms (do not overmix). It'll be soft and sticky but scoopable. Do not be tempted to add more flour.
- Using a #40 cookie scoop or by hand, portion the dough into 1 + 1/2 tablespoon balls and place on the baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm and center puffs (do not overbake). Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Eat as is or decorate with frosting of choice.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. If using cream cheese frosting, refrigerate as the frosting is perishable.
Notes
- Don't want to use chocolate frosting? Check out my other frosting recipes including vanilla, strawberry, peanut butter, and more.
- Enjoyed this recipe? Check out Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies, Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies, and Snickerdoodles without cream of tartar.
- Looking for more soft cookies? Check out Pumpkin Sugar Cookies and Orange Cookies.
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First published December 8, 2016
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Simple ingredients, simple procedure, great result ! Thank you very much ! I’ll be back for more :-)
Exactly! No need to fuss over a complicated cookie recipe, especially during the busy holiday season.
Hold on now….CHOCOLATE sugar cookies?!?! Why have I never heard of these before? What a great idea.
Because everything is better with chocolate ;)
now this is my kind of sugar cookie-chocolate, with more chocolate, and then chocolate chips on top of that :P
You do all the work; we reap all the benefits. Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and all great Holidays.
Thanks Pat – you too!
Carla, In the printable recipe it stops with “For the frosting”… and never gives the instructions for it. Could you give me a hint? lol
Thanks…Karen
Not entirely sure what happened, but it’s fixed now!
Thanks Carla, you’re a gem!
I’m with you on the chilling, rolling, cutting, etc. – way too much fiddling around for (in my case) mediocre results. Your chocolate cookie will be baked this week in anticipation of adding them to the cookies for neighbors this year.
Thanks for the recipe, Sheila
Let me know how it goes!