Rich and soft chocolate sugar cookies made with a secret ingredient! If you love chocolate, these decadent cookies are for you!
Something about the last few weeks of this pregnancy has me craving all things bread, ice cream and cookies! I’ve been pretty careful about balancing sweets with lots of healthy food, but lately that’s been a bit of a struggle. In hopes of keeping this little blog alive while we adjust to life as a family of 5, I’ve been working overtime in the kitchen. Thanksgiving and Christmas… I’m ready for you!! Our freezer is full of frozen cookie dough, half batches of soup, and lots of bread! The important stuff 😉
I had originally planned on posting these soft chocolate sugar cookies with you in December, but I just couldn’t hold out! They’re everything you want in a “drop” sugar cookie. Simple to make & easy to bake. No dough rolling or decorating required, although these would be pretty amazing dipped with white or dark chocolate and topped with peppermint pieces or festive sprinkles. Can you tell I’m excited for the holidays?!
Let’s talk about this recipe for a minute. The dough is made with a stick of soft butter and a stick of melted butter, which means it produces a nice soft & chewy cookie. It also means it needs to be refrigerated for at least an hour (reflected in the prep time). Do NOT skip that step. You’ll end up with super flat cookies.
Second, I used a dutch process cocoa which gave me dark cookies. You can use special dark cocoa or even your run of the mill natural unsweetened cocoa. Just use a quality product. The important ingredient (and my secret ingredient in a lot of my chocolate baked goods) is espresso powder. It is the ultimate enhancer. These cookies will not taste the same with out it, trust me. You can pick up a little jar of it next to all of the other coffee products, or it may even be located on the baking aisle in some stores. King Arthur Flour & Williams-Sonoma also sell it.
When you’re ready to bake off the dough, you can either roll it in sugar or leave the dough as is. The choice is yours! I love how these look (and taste) with the sugar on them, however they taste just as good without. Take care not to under or over bake them. You’ll know their done when the edges are set and the centers are soft but not gooey, about 8-10 minutes.
Let them cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, or long enough to not burn your tongue! Serve with a tall glass of milk and ENJOY!
Chocolate Sugar Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - melted
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar - packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup +2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar - for rolling
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and espresso powder, then mix until combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixing speed on low, gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, then set aside.
- Using a standard-size cookie scoop (#40 or 1.5 tablespoons), scoop the dough and roll it in the granulated sugar, if desired. Place on the prepared sheet, then bake for 8–10 minutes. The cookies should be soft in the center but set on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTES
Nutrition
Looking for more delicious chocolate cookie recipes? Try these:
- Double Chocolate Cookies – Salt and Baker
- 1 XXL Death by Chocolate Cookies – Sally’s Baking Addiction
- Double Chocolate Coconut Oil Cookies – Life Made Simple
- The Best Bakery Style Double Chocolate Chip Cookies – The Food Charlatan
- Fudgy Chocolate Cookies – Pretty. Simple. Sweet
- Fudgy Brownie Cookies – Life Made Simple
Do these cookies get flat when baked? I made a Dutch cocoa cookie recipe and they always get flat. I am trying to find a cookie that tastes similar to the Archway Dutch Chocolate cookies.
Yes, they do flatten, but are super yummy 🙂
Can’t wait to try these cookies! I love chocolate and sugar! 😍 I just have one question. How long should I thaw them or just bake them right out of the freezer? Well I have two questions, sorry. How long do they keep in the freezer?
They are so good! If you were to freeze the dough, I would get it out the morning of. I haven’t tried baking them right from the freezer, but I am sure that would work too. The dough would last a few months. I tend to not leave it in there longer.
These are wonderful!! I sell cookies at Christmas and my 14 year old couldn’t get enough of them! I rolled mine in turbinado sugar because I like the way it looks after baking. Great cookies . Thanks!
You are welcome! I am glad you tried them & that they were a hit!
The look amazing! Soft and Chewy Cookies are the BEST! Making these this weekend!
Love this chocolate version!! They are delicious!! They were so soft!