Decadent Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Rich, fudgy, and irresistibly delicious, these Chocolate Sugar Cookies offer a delightful twist on a classic treat. Topped with a luscious, creamy buttercream frosting, they are more than just a cookie; they are an experience. Perfect for celebrating special occasions like Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or simply to satisfy a deep chocolate craving, these cookies are guaranteed to become a new family favorite. Forget dry, crumbly chocolate cookies – our recipe delivers a uniquely soft, yet sturdy texture that melts in your mouth with every bite.

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER!

While I adore my classic sugar cookie recipe, there are times when only the profound indulgence of chocolate will do. These Chocolate Sugar Cookies are specifically crafted for the ultimate chocolate enthusiast. Their deep cocoa flavor pairs beautifully with the sweet, velvety frosting, creating a harmonious balance that’s hard to resist. If you’re looking for more chocolate cookie inspiration, you might also love our Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies or the cozy comfort of Hot Cocoa Cookies, which are fantastic year-round delights!

The Sweet Inspiration Behind These Chocolate Gems

Many of my favorite recipes are born from moments of culinary inspiration during dining experiences. There’s something incredibly satisfying about tasting a dish or dessert you adore, then heading home with a burning desire to recreate it, or even improve upon it, in your own kitchen. This pursuit of culinary excellence is precisely how these extraordinary Chocolate Sugar Cookies came to be.

The journey began with a beloved chocolate cookie from a local bakery. Its rich flavor and unique texture captivated me, setting me on a mission to craft my own copycat version. My initial attempts aimed to replicate that specific cookie exactly. However, as often happens in the kitchen, the path to perfection took an unexpected turn.

While my early batches didn’t quite hit the mark for an exact replica, what emerged from the oven was something even more delightful. The result was a cookie with its own distinct charm and an unparalleled flavor profile that quickly surpassed my original inspiration. These Chocolate Sugar Cookies, while not a copycat, became a new, cherished recipe that I’m thrilled to share. They represent the joy of culinary experimentation and the pleasant surprises that can arise when you let creativity lead the way.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Crafting these delectable chocolate sugar cookies requires a thoughtful selection of ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving their signature rich flavor and wonderfully soft yet sturdy texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need for both the cookies and the creamy buttercream frosting.

For the Cookies:

• Butter and Vegetable Oil: This might seem like an unusual combination for cookies, but it’s the secret to their incredible texture. Butter provides rich flavor, while vegetable oil contributes tenderness and moisture, ensuring the cookies remain soft without being overly delicate. This unique blend creates a cookie that holds its shape beautifully while still melting in your mouth.
• Granulated Sugar: Standard white granulated sugar is used to provide sweetness and aids in the overall structure of the cookie, helping it to spread slightly and achieve a delicate crispness around the edges, contrasting with the soft interior.
• Sour Cream: A powerhouse ingredient for moisture and tenderness! Sour cream adds a subtle tang that complements the chocolate beautifully and is key to preventing dry, crumbly cookies. It also contributes to the cookies’ signature soft crumb.
• Egg Yolks: We only use egg yolks in this recipe, and for good reason. Yolks are rich in fat, which imparts an incredible richness and chewiness to the cookies. They act as a binding agent and contribute significantly to the smooth, tender texture that makes these cookies so special.
• Vanilla Extract: Always opt for pure vanilla extract over imitation for the best possible flavor. Vanilla enhances the chocolate, adding depth and warmth to the overall profile of the cookie.
• All-Purpose Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly for these cookies. I typically prefer unbleached flour, but bleached flour will also yield excellent results. Accurate measurement is crucial; spoon and level your flour to avoid a dense cookie.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is where the rich chocolate flavor comes from. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch-processed. Unsweetened cocoa powder is acidic and reacts with the baking powder to create the perfect lift and texture. Dutch-processed cocoa is neutralized and won’t have the same leavening effect in this recipe.
• Baking Powder and Salt: Baking powder provides the necessary lift, making the cookies light and airy, while salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the deep chocolate flavors. Don’t skip the salt; it truly makes the chocolate sing!

For the Frosting:

• Softened Butter: The foundation of any good buttercream! Using softened, unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content precisely. If you use salted butter, adjust or omit the added salt in the frosting. Beating it until light and fluffy is key to a smooth, airy frosting.
• Vanilla Extract: Just like in the cookies, pure vanilla extract is essential for a truly delicious frosting. It adds a classic, warm flavor that perfectly complements the chocolate cookies.
• Salt: A touch of salt in the frosting helps to cut through the sweetness of the powdered sugar, creating a more balanced flavor profile and preventing the frosting from being cloyingly sweet.
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, this fine sugar is what gives buttercream its smooth texture. For an exceptionally silky frosting, you can sift the powdered sugar, but for a homey batch of cookies, I often find it’s not strictly necessary.
• Milk (or Cream): A tablespoon or two of milk helps to achieve the perfect spreadable consistency for your frosting. You can use any milk you have on hand, or for an even richer, more decadent frosting, opt for heavy cream.
• Food Coloring (Optional): For festive occasions or just a pop of color, a few drops of food coloring can transform your frosting. Pink is perfect for Valentine’s Day, but feel free to experiment with any hue!

Expert Tips for Baking Perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Baking these chocolate sugar cookies is a straightforward and enjoyable process, but a few key tips can elevate your results from good to absolutely phenomenal. Follow these expert suggestions to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly soft, rich, and beautifully frosted every time.

• Pair with Milk for Pure Bliss: These cookies are undeniably rich, boasting a deep chocolate flavor and substantial texture. The absolute best way to enjoy them is alongside a tall, frosty glass of cold milk. The milk beautifully cuts through the richness, creating a classic and comforting combination.
• Embrace the Vegetable Oil: While vegetable oil isn’t a traditional ingredient in many cookie recipes, it’s a star player here. It contributes significantly to the unique soft and tender texture of these cookies, making them incredibly moist. While you *could* substitute all butter, the texture will be noticeably different – likely less tender and more crumbly. For the intended result, stick with the butter and oil combination.
• To Frost or Not to Frost? The cookies are delicious even without frosting – their rich chocolate flavor stands perfectly on its own. However, the creamy buttercream adds an extra layer of sweetness and a delightful textural contrast that truly completes the experience. Don’t underestimate the joy that a generous swirl of frosting brings!
• Customize for Any Occasion: These cookies are incredibly versatile for decoration. Easily change their look by coloring the buttercream frosting with different food colors. Think red or pink for Valentine’s Day, green for St. Patrick’s Day, or orange and black for Halloween. And don’t forget the sprinkles! Use holiday-themed sprinkles, colorful confetti, or elegant nonpareils. Or, for a more sophisticated look, omit sprinkles entirely.
• Optimal Storage for Freshness: For the best taste and texture, these chocolate sugar cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are baked or very shortly after. To keep them fresh for longer, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should last several days this way. Bring them to room temperature before serving for optimal flavor and softness.
• Freezing for Future Cravings: While I haven’t personally frozen *frosted* cookies, the unfrosted cookie dough freezes exceptionally well. You can scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time. Frosted cookies would likely freeze well too if carefully layered with parchment paper in an airtight container, though the frosting texture might change slightly upon thawing.
• Don’t Overbake: Overbaking is the enemy of soft cookies. These cookies are meant to be tender. Look for edges that are just set and a center that still looks slightly soft. They will continue to set as they cool.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter, sour cream, and egg yolks are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together more easily, creating a smoother, more uniform dough and a better final texture.
• Proper Flour Measurement: Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and then level it with a straight edge. Scooping directly from the bag can compact the flour, leading to too much flour and a dense, dry cookie.

Explore More Delicious Cookie Recipes

If you love baking and enjoying cookies, here are some other fantastic recipes from our collection that you might enjoy:

• Easy Cake Mix Cookies: Simple, versatile, and always a crowd-pleaser!
• Classic Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies: Perfect for cutting out festive shapes and decorating.
• Decadent Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies: A rich, chewy, and surprisingly simple cookie.
• Old-Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies: Wonderfully soft and full of delicate flavor.
• Chewy Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies: The secret ingredient makes these extra soft!
• Our Best Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe: Big, bold, and utterly satisfying.

LOOKING FOR MORE FREE RECIPES AND BAKING INSPIRATION?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family-friendly recipes delivered straight to your inbox each week! Find me sharing more culinary adventures and family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

5 from 2 votes

Author:
Deborah Harroun

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
10 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour

Servings:
24 cookies

Course:
Dessert

Cuisine:
American

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Rich chocolate cookies are topped with a creamy buttercream frosting for the perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, or any day for that matter!

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 – 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• food coloring (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (Alternatively, lightly grease the baking sheet.)
2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter until it is smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until completely combined and free of lumps. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
4. Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, ensuring at least 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for proper spreading.
5. Bake the cookies for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, gently remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a flat spatula to lightly press down on each cookie, flattening them to about 1/2 inch thick. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers still look slightly soft.
6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. This allows them to firm up slightly. Then, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack or a sheet of waxed paper to cool completely before frosting.
7. To prepare the frosting, beat the softened butter in a medium bowl until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract and salt. Gradually add the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until smooth after each addition. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. If desired, add a few drops of red food coloring (or any color of your choice) to achieve a festive pink hue.
8. Once the cookies are completely cool, frost them generously with the prepared buttercream using an offset spatula or knife. Top with sprinkles, if desired, for an extra festive touch. Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition information provided is an estimate only. The actual values can vary based on specific brands and products used. Please use any nutritional information as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 cookie

Calories: 327 kcal (16%)

Carbohydrates: 37g (12%)

Protein: 3g (6%)

Fat: 20g (31%)

Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)

Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 46mg (15%)

Sodium: 122mg (5%)

Fiber: 2g (8%)

Sugar: 22g (24%)

Keywords: chocolate sugar cookies, frosted chocolate cookies, chocolate cookie recipe, Valentine’s Day cookies, easy chocolate cookies