Chocolate Sugar Cut-Out Cookies
In addition to being beautiful, chocolate sugar cut-out cookies have a smooth, dense chocolate flavor and tender, melt-in-your mouth texture. Rolled and shaped with your favorite cookie cutter, and topped with a sparkle of sugar, they’re the perfect sugar cookies for every chocolate lover in your life!
Valentine’s Day will be here soon and I want to share the recipe for these sparkly heart cookies with you. This recipe turns my favorite traditional sugar cookie recipe into a chocolate sugar cut-out cookie, which couldn’t be more perfect for this February celebration of love. These have a rich, smooth, chocolate flavor and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Topped with a crackly sugar punch, they’re just too perfect and make a special Valentine treat for anyone needing a little reminder of just how much you love them!
How Thick Should I Roll My Chocolate Sugar Cookies?
That depends! If you like them crisp and light, go for 1/8 inch. If you like a denser, fudgy texture with a little softness in the center and a crispness on the edges, roll to ¼ inch thickness.
Sugar Cookie Toppings & Decorations
For the decorations, the simplest thing is to top with a little coarse or colored sugar before baking them. You can also use this recipe for royal icing and brighten them up with some color and a little more sweetness. Lastly, you can dust them with powdered sugar once they’re cool for a beautiful white/black look.
CHOCOLATE SUGAR CUT-OUT COOKIE INGREDIENTS
- all-purpose flour – You’ll need 1 3/4 cup for the cookies and a little extra for rolling out.
- salt – Salt balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- unsweetened cocoa powder – Use the best cocoa powder you can afford as it will flavor the cookies.
- sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar this time.
- unsalted butter – Two and a half sticks of butter lends lots of flavor and gives them their delicate texture.
- vanilla extract – You’ll need two teaspoons!
- egg yolk – Save the white for a future use.
- coarse or colored sugar – You can use coarse sugar instead, or, even more granulated sugar if need be. This gives the cookies a lovely sparkle!
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUT-OUT SUGAR COOKIES
Step 1: Mix Dough Together
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 tsp. salt, ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1-3/4 cups of flour. In a large bowl with beaters or in a stand mixer, on high speed, cream 1-¼ cups unsalted butter with ¾ cup of sugar for 3-4 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in one egg yolk and 2 tsp. vanilla extract. With beaters on low, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
Step 2: Chill Dough
Divide dough into fourths and press wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap, pressing gently into a disc shape. Chill dough for 2 hours or overnight (or freeze dough discs for at this point).
Step 3: Roll Out Cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and center oven rack. Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before rolling. Dust a work surface with flour, as well as your rolling pin, and roll to desired thickness (1/4 – ½ inch, 3-6mm).
Step 4: Cut Out Cookies
Cut with cookie cutters, using an offset spatula to remove cleanly, if needed, and place onto ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse or colored sugar, if desired. If using intricately-shaped cutters, chill dough on cookie sheets in refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking so they hold their shape.
Step 5: Bake Cookies
Bake on center rack for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking pan for a few minutes, before removing warm cookies to cool fully on cooling rack.
Want to frost the heart chocolate sugar cookies instead? Try this easy royal icing recipe for a safe meringue icing that dries hard and looks great.
How To Store & Freeze Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Make sure to fully cool cookies before storing. At room temperature, store extra chocolate cookies in an airtight container or tin for 3-4 days. They freeze well, too, but be careful as they’re quite delicate. I find it works best to layer cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper in ziplock bags. Remove as much air as possible from freezer bags before laying flat in freezer to store. Frozen, they’ll keep well for up to 2 months. To thaw, just set them at room temperature on the counter overnight.
Can I Freeze the Dough to Roll Out Later?
Yes. You can make the chocolate sugar cookie dough ahead and freeze for up to 3 months. Prepare the chocolate sugar cookie dough through step 2, dividing dough into fourths, flattening into 4 discs and wrapping each in parchment paper before freezing all portions together in a large ziplock bag or glass lock container. When you’re ready to use cookie dough, thaw the discs in the refrigerator overnight and then warm for about an hour on the counter before rolling out. Proceed with rolling out the dough, starting with step 3 above.
More Chocolate Cookies to Love
- Orange & Chocolate French Butter Cookies (Sables)
- Chocolate Cherry Trail Mix Cookies
- Chocolate-Dipped Mocha Cookies
- Ultra-Thin Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Chocolate Sugar Cut-Out Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg yolk
- coarse or colored sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/4 tsp. salt, ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder and 1-3/4 cups of flour. In a large bowl with beaters or in a stand mixer, on high speed, cream 1-¼ cups unsalted butter with ¾ cup of sugar for 3-4 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Beat in one egg yolk and 2 tsp. vanilla extract. With beaters on low, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined.
- Divide dough into fourths and wrap in parchment paper or plastic wrap for 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and center oven rack. Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before rolling. Dust a work surface with flour, as well as your rolling pin, and roll to desired thickness (1/4 – ½ inch, 3-6mm). Cut with cookie cutters, using an offset spatula to remove cleanly, if needed, and place onto ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse or colored sugar, if desired. If using intricately-shaped cutters, chill dough on cookie sheets in refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking so they hold their shape.
- Bake on center rack for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking pan for a few minutes, before removing warm cookies to cool fully on cooling rack. Makes about 36 cookies.