Description
Delight in these rich and tender Chocolate Sugar Cookies, perfect for festive occasions or everyday treats. These cocoa-infused cookies are soft with a slight chew, elegantly topped with royal icing and optional sprinkles for a decorative touch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (plus more for dusting)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Decorating
- Royal icing
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt thoroughly to ensure an even distribution of the leavening agent and cocoa flavor. Set this bowl aside for later incorporation.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, which usually takes about 2 minutes. This step is crucial for the texture of the cookies.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is well combined and smooth, which adds moisture and flavor to the dough.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Lower the mixer speed to low and gradually add the prepared dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Beat until just combined to form the cookie dough, careful not to overmix which can toughen the cookies.
- Shape and Chill Dough: Form the dough into a ball and divide into two equal portions. Pat each portion into a disk. Lightly dust two large sheets of parchment paper with cocoa powder, place each dough disk on a sheet, dust the top also with cocoa powder, and then cover with another parchment sheet. Roll each disk out to about ¼ inch thickness. Chill the rolled dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to firm up.
- Prepare Oven and Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a half-sheet baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and enable even baking.
- Cut Out Cookies: Remove one sheet of chilled dough at a time. Using Christmas cookie cutters (or any preferred shapes), cut out the cookies carefully. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut again to maximize the dough usage.
- Arrange for Baking: Transfer cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them approximately 1 inch apart to allow for slight spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges begin to firm up but the centers are still soft. This ensures a tender texture.
- Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes after removing from the oven, then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Decorate: Once fully cooled, decorate the cookies with royal icing and optionally add sprinkles for a festive and colorful finish.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. For longer freshness, refrigerate the cookies.
- Freezing: Cool cookies completely before freezing in a freezer-safe container, layering cookies with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Unbaked dough can be frozen for 2-3 months; thaw in the refrigerator and soften to room temperature before baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 65 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
