Chocolate Sugar Cookies You’ll Love
These Chocolate Sugar Cookies are perfectly tender, rich, and designed for clean cut-out shapes. Made with powdered sugar instead of granulated, they stay smooth, soft, and never gritty. The cocoa-forward flavor is balanced with vanilla, making them ideal for decorating, gifting, or enjoying plain with a crisp edge and soft center.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, softened – 100g (½ cup)
Powdered sugar – 80g (⅔ cup)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
All-purpose flour – 180g (1½ cups)
Unsweetened cocoa powder – 25g (¼ cup)
Pinch of salt
Baking powder (optional) – ½ teaspoon
Instructions
**Mix Dry Ingredients**
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder if using.
**Cream Butter and Sugar**
Beat softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Do not over-whip.
**Add Egg and Vanilla**
Mix in egg and vanilla until fully incorporated, scraping bowl as needed.
**Combine and Chill**
Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Dough will be sticky. Wrap, flatten into a disk, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
**Roll and Cut**
Roll dough between parchment to ⅛-inch thickness. Freeze rolled dough 10–15 minutes, then cut shapes and transfer to baking sheets.
**Bake and Cool**
Bake 8–10 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft. Cool briefly on pan, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
• Powdered sugar creates a smoother, more tender cookie than granulated sugar.
• Freezing before cutting ensures sharp edges and clean shapes.
• Skip baking powder for ultra-crisp edges; include it for softer cookies.
• Weighing flour ensures consistent results.
• Chocolate cookies do not visibly brown—judge doneness by firmness of edges.