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Sometimes a vanilla sugar cookie is just not what you’re craving! That’s where this delicious, no-chill, no-fail, no-spread chocolate sugar cookie recipe comes in! These cookies have the convenience and portability of a cookie but the taste of an amazing brownie. I don’t know about you, but this combination is basically what I live for! The other beauty of these babies is that you can decorate them, especially with fun, flavored icing, or leave them naked! They are delicious both ways! I’ve played in the kitchen, trying many different recipes and have determined this to be the go-to recipe for a rich, chocolate flavor.
The Secret INgredient
The secret ingredient that enhances the rich chocolate flavor is espresso powder! Stay with me, I know what you’re thinking, and I can promise you, you will not taste a hint of coffee! I can also assure you; this amount of espresso powder will not have your kids bouncing off the walls. I’m personally extremely sensitive to caffeine and would get very ill if I drank a cup of coffee or (gasp!) a can of Coca-Cola! Confession: I’ve ate several of these cookies in one sitting and had no caffeine effects.
let’s talk about cocoa powder
I’m not going to get all nerdy on this, but since baking is really a science, let’s touch on this. Dutch processed cocoa powder has a slightly higher pH and a much darker color. While sometimes you can use them interchangeably, there is a rule of thumb that I find helpful. When a recipe calls for baking soda, use natural cocoa powder. Conversely, when a recipe calls for baking powder, use Dutch processed cocoa powder.
Dutch processed cocoa powder is not as readily available as regular cocoa powder. However, I always use the Ghirardelli brand Dutch processed cocoa powder and find it at Walmart.
Without further ado, here is the delicious chocolate sugar cookie recipe!
The Best No-Chill Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe
The search for the best no-chill, no-fail and no-spread chocolate sugar cookie recipe is over! Decorated or naked, these cookies give you the convenience of a cookie with a rich, chocolatety brownie flavor!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 7 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 cookies (depending on size)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227g) Salted Butter Room Temperature
- 1 cup (200g) Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg Room Temperature
- 1 tbsp (13g) Vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (60g) Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsp (9.5g) Baking Powder
- 2.5 cups (300g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp (1.8g) Espresso Powder
Instructions
If I know I’ll be baking, I pull my butter out of the fridge the night before to get to room temp. But if you’re baking spontaneously, no worries, just zap your butter in the microwave on half-power for about 12 seconds.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
I use parchment paper sheets on my cookie sheets and reuse them for all my batches that day.
In your mixer bowl (or large bowl with hand-mixer) cream butter and sugar until smooth, about 1 minute
Beat in vanilla and egg
In a separate bowl. combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and espresso powder. Add to wet mixture a small amount at a time.
Mix until dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl
Divide dough into 2 sections and roll out each on wax paper or other prepared surface to 1/4" thick. This dough should require very little additional flour to roll out. I love that it is not sticky!
Cut into desired shapes; this dough does not spread! I always suggest baking similar-sized cookies together.
Bake at 350 degrees for 6-7 minutes (depending on cookie size)
Cool cookies on cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to cooling rack.
Eat plain or decorate!
Keyword chocolate cut out recipe, chocolate cutout cookie recipe, chocolate sugar cookie recipe
If you do decide to decorate with Royal Icing, you can find our favorite recipe HERE!
Leave a comment below and let us know your feedback once you give these cookies a try!
If you found this recipe post helpful, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out on futurecut out cookie recipes or drop cookie recipes! Happy baking, Bestie!
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FAQs
As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).
What is the most loved cookie? ›
Chocolate chip cookies
What is the most popular type of cookie? It might just be this one.
Should sugar cookies be hard or soft? ›
The very best sugar cookies are soft and tender. → Follow this tip: One of the keys to great sugar cookies is mixing the dry ingredients only until they're just incorporated, and not a second longer. Once the dry ingredients are added, less mixing equals more tender cookies.
How to jazz up sugar cookies? ›
Take plain sugar cookies up a notch with exciting mix-ins like chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, toasted chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit or M&M's. Add these after blending your butter and egg into the sugar cookie mix.
What happens if you don't chill cookie dough before baking? ›
Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.
What happens if you chill sugar cookie dough too long? ›
After 72 hours, the dough will begin to dry out and you risk it going bad, especially if chilling pre-portioned balls of dough instead of the entire mass of dough. If you want to store longer than 72 hours, see the freezing tips below.
What is the 1 cookie in the world? ›
Oreo is the best-selling cookie in the world. It is now sold in over 100 countries. Oreo was first produced in 1912 by the National Biscuit Company, now known as Na-Bis-Co.
What is the #1 cookie in the United States? ›
The chocolate chip cookie is far and away America's favorite cookie This should come as no surprise to anyone who enjoys the tasty treat. More than 53% of American adults prefer the cookies over the next most popular kind, peanut butter.
What is the #1 cookie in the US? ›
1 Chocolate Chip Cookie (No Further Description Necessary)
America's favorite cookie and the one dubbed “the American cookie” is the Chocolate chip cookie.
Should you refrigerate sugar cookie dough before baking? ›
Prevent cookies from spreading
According to Hy-Vee, cookies will spread when the butter or fat melts faster than the cookie bakes. To prevent this, you can use cooler butter, or simply pop your sugar cookie dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes prior to baking, which hardens the fat.
Which One Should I Use in Cookies? Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper if baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening bake up taller and are more tender, but aren't as flavorful.
Can you over mix sugar cookie dough? ›
Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.
Why do my sugar cookies have no flavor? ›
Adding too little sugar can affect the taste and texture of cookies. Adding too much can cause them to be brittle. Take your time creaming the sugar and butter together at the beginning.
How do you make sugar cookie dough taste better? ›
Almond Extract: For a twist on the traditional sugar cookie flavor, try adding a small amount of almond extract. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust according to your preference. Citrus Zest: Incorporate the zest of citrus fruits like lemon, orange, or lime into the dough. The zest adds a bright and refreshing flavor.
How long should you refrigerate sugar cookie dough? ›
For best quality, freeze for two months. Homemade cookie dough should be stored in small containers in the refrigerator for two to four days or freeze for two months. Alternatively, small quantities of dough can be frozen and thawed in the refrigerator as needed.
How long to let sugar cookie dough sit out? ›
Cookie dough should only sit out for 2-4 hours at room temp because the ingredients that are normally in cookie dough include both eggs & butter.
How do you chill sugar cookie dough in the fridge? ›
The Best Way to Chill Cookie Dough
Place them on a baking sheet or plate, then transfer the dough to the refrigerator to chill. “If you forgot to scoop the dough before chilling, you may need to let the dough warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before it becomes 'scoopable,'” Hill advises.
