Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These super Soft Chocolate Sugar Cookies (or Rudolph Cookies during the holiday season) are incredibly easy to make! You’ll love them!

If you can’t decide between a classic sugar cookie and a super decadent chocolate cookie – you can get the best of both worlds with these Chocolate Sugar Cookies! The rich, deep chocolate flavor on top of a chewy, sugar cookie base is perfect for any occasion.

These chocolate sugar cookies are soft, and chewy, and are the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. These are perfect for holiday cookie exchanges too!

When making these I wanted something simple, but they also had to be fudgy and super soft. I’m all about cookies that stay fresh for days.

But with these – I decided to add a single cinnamon candy to make the Rudolph Cookies – making them super fun for the little ones come the holiday season.

Those little hands just love being able to help in the kitchen adding the candies when the cookies come out of the oven.

Readers say…

“Delicious! My entire family loved them!” – Vee

Here are some commonly asked questions

What can I do with chocolate sugar cookies?

You can eat them plain, or frost them with chocolate frosting or royal icing.

What is the best way to store chocolate sugar cookies?

I like to place mine in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also use a zip-top bag but I find they get jostled a bit too much with this and then you have broken cookies.

What is the difference between Dutch-process cocoa powder and regular cocoa powder?

So Dutch-processed cocoa powder is also referred to as alkalized cocoa. This powder starts with cocoa beans that have been washed in an alkaline solution of potassium carbonate, also used in the production of soap and glass.

By doing this, it neutralizes the acidity of the beans, making the beans neutral. This is important because when they are neutral, they do not react with baking soda. Instead, it is often paired with baking powder.

So – long story short – using regular cocoa powder vs Dutch-process cocoa powder will yield a completely different rise and texture to any recipe you are making.

So I highly recommend paying close attention to the type of cocoa powder called for in each recipe and sticking to it for that reason.

Why do my cookies go flat?

Cookies typically go flat when the dough isn’t the right temperature at the time of baking OR when they are missing the right ingredients that help them to rise- such as eggs, baking soda, and baking powder. Please make sure you are measuring those ingredients correctly and that they are at room temperature when you start the mixing.

Also – something to keep in mind- make sure you are placing the dough on a cool baking sheet. The cookies will bake differently if you are placing the dough on the hot baking sheet you just removed from the oven. Make sure you have a rotation of baking sheets so you can always place the unbaked dough on a cool tray.

Why do the ingredients need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature ingredients help to ensure that everything blends together perfectly. You don’t want any pockets of unblended butter. You want everything evenly disbursed for the perfect texture.

When your dairy products are at room temperature, they can create an emulsion. It’s essential to have an emulsion because air gets trapped, so the baked goods expand and get fluffy as it bakes.

Can I roll these out and cut out shapes?

Unfortunately, this dough isn’t for rolling. But I do have a very good rolled sugar cookie recipe that is perfect for that.

Do chocolate sugar cookies need to be refrigerated?

No, they don’t need to be refrigerated. I recommend keeping them at room temperature.

Are chocolate sugar cookies gluten-free?

No, chocolate sugar cookies are not gluten-free. You can try making them gluten-free by swapping out the ingredients with gluten-free products. Please let me know how they turn out.

What do you mean by soft butter?

You will need to take your butter out of the fridge about an hour before you would like to make the recipe for the butter to soften but not get too soft.

How do I properly measure the flour?

The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.

However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.

Can the dough be frozen for later?

Yes – this dough can be frozen and baked later. If you would like to roll the dough prior to freezing, make sure to freeze the dough balls in a single flat layer. Once frozen they can be transferred to a zip-top bag for space-saving.

To bake – increase the baking time by 1 minute – no need to thaw the dough before baking.

I like to roll the dough between my hands to soften the outside of the dough before baking – then roll in the sugar – this helps the cookies have the freshest texture once they are baked.

Can this recipe be made without a stand mixer?

I think you could possibly get away with using a hand mixer if you have firm beaters.

I don’t recommend using a whisk or even the whisk attachment on a stand mixer for this dough as a whisk isn’t strong enough for this dough.

Ingredients for Chocolate Sugar Cookies

• butter – softened
• brown sugar
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• cocoa powder – not Dutch-processed
• baking soda
• table salt
• granulated sugar for rolling
• cinnamon imperials

Can chocolate sugar cookies be frozen?

Yes, chocolate sugar cookies can be frozen. I would recommend wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and then storing them in a freezer bag, and just thawing them at room temperature when you’re ready to eat them.

Keep in mind that the outer sugar coating might absorb some of the cool, moist air being in the freezer.

Is there a substitute for butter in chocolate sugar cookies?

You can use margarine or vegetable shortening as a butter substitute in chocolate sugar cookies. Keep in mind that the rise, spread, and overall texture of the cookies will be altered when making this change.

How to soften the butter to room temperature?

First

There are a couple of ways to do this. The first being that you can take the butter (& any other ingredients that need to be at room temperature) out, leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep for baking.

I usually start with all my chilled ingredients and pull everything I need out onto the counter before getting started – so I know for sure I have everything before I’m mid-way through I realize I’m out of something.

But sometimes it’s winter and that isn’t enough time to get the ingredients warmed up – OR – I’m just not that organized to plan ahead. It happens. So I have another couple of tricks.

Second

I place the butter in the microwave – wrapped in the paper. (don’t do this if it is wrapped in foil) Then I microwave for 2 seconds – flip – go another 2 seconds – flip again – and continue for 2 seconds on each side.

This is usually enough to get it perfect – sometimes stopping before if it feels soft enough. Take care when doing this method – overly softened butter from the microwave WILL ALTER the end result of the recipe. Don’t over-do it.

Third

My third method is to place the wrapped butter sticks in a zip-top bag and place it in a bowl of warm water. I do this with the eggs too. If the water isn’t too hot it can be THE PERFECT way to get “room-temperature” ingredients.

Should I use salted or unsalted butter?

When making a sugar cookies recipe like this one, I like to keep the butter unsalted.

How to Make Chocolate Sugar Cookies

1. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs and the vanilla, mix until just combined.
3. Slowly stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Once incorporated – beat well for about 60 seconds.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Once the dough has chilled – preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl.
8. Scoop the dough and roll into a ball.
9. Roll the dough in the granulated sugar and then place on the prepared baking sheet. Space the cookies about 2” apart.
10. Bake for 10-11 minutes.
11. If adding the cinnamon candies to the center – press them into the center of each cookie immediately after removing the cookies from the oven. Then allow them to cool.
12. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 7-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
13. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

How long do chocolate sugar cookies last?

Chocolate sugar cookies should be enjoyed within 4 days to one week of making them, or they can be frozen for up to two months.

Should I use light or dark brown sugar?

Since I make my own brown sugar, I use light brown sugar for almost all of my recipes. But light or dark brown sugar will work in this recipe.

Want to know how to make your own brown sugar – visit my Homemade Brown Sugar post here.

Do I really need to chill the dough?

Yes, Yes, Yes! Chilling the dough is important for a couple of reasons. First – while the dough is chilling the ingredients are coming together. It gives a better overall flavor to the cookie.

The second and probably even more important than the first – is that chilling helps the dough hold together during the baking process.

Without chilling, the dough would not only be too sticky to really roll it into balls. But it would also spread way too much while baking – leaving flat and not very appealing cookies in the end. Please don’t skip the chilling process.

Equipment Needed

• Mixer
• Baking Sheet
• Cookie Scoop

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If you love this Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

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