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The best Chocolate Sugar Cookies that are easy to make and delicious plain or with frosting! These are easy drop sugar cookies with a rich chocolate flavor and soft and chewy texture. 

Classic sugar cookies are amazing, but what about chocolate sugar cookies? I am here to tell you they’re even better. Soft, chewy, and all about the chocolate flavor – you are going to love this easy recipe.

stacked chocolate cookies with the one on top frosted with colorful sprinkles


BEST Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These are chocolate sugar cookies without brown sugar so they have the best texture. They have the same look and texture of a regular sugar cookie, but with chocolate.

These are drop sugar cookies which means we’re keeping it simple. There’s no rolling or cutting out the dough – just drop it onto the cookie sheet and bake.

I love them coated in sugar for an extra lightly crunchy coating or you can skip the sugar and make double chocolate sugar cookies and top them with my chocolate frosting.

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • These are easy chocolate drop sugar cookies – very low-fuss!
  • They have the perfect amount of chocolate flavor.
  • They’re soft and chewy the way a sugar cookie should be.
  • Make them with frosting or without frosting – they’re perfect either way!
ingredients in chocolate sugar cookies

Ingredients Needed

  • Softened unsalted butter: If you’re in a rush, learn how to soften butter quickly.
  • Large egg and an egg yolk: The egg gives structure and the extra yolk adds chewiness to the cookies.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder: This recipe was tested with regular cocoa powder, not Dutch process.
  • Cream of tartar: Helps them be nice and soft when combined with baking soda. Learn about cream of tartar and why we use it.
  • All-purpose flour: Be sure to measure it correctly.

How to Make Chocolate Sugar Cookies

  • Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
  • Mix until combined, and then mix in the cocoa powder.
  • Add the flour and mix until the dough is smooth.
  • Scoop two tablespoons of dough to form each cookie dough ball. You can roll them in granulated sugar and then place them on the baking sheet. If you plan to frost them, you can skip the sugar.
  • Bake the cookies for nine to 14 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are no longer glossy.
  • While the cookies are baking, make the chocolate frosting if you’ll be frosting them.
multiple chocolate cookies in a pan with some frosted with sprinkles on top

Chocolate Frosted Sugar Cookies

If you opt for frosting them, you will love my easy chocolate frosting. One batch is enough to frost all the cookies.

To make the chocolate buttercream: Beat softened butter, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar in a bowl until the mixture is crumbly. Add salt, vanilla, and a little milk and mix until smooth. Add more milk, if needed, so the frosting is spreadable.

Frost the cooled chocolate sugar cookies and then decorate with sprinkles or leave them plain.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe

Learn how to make the best chocolate buttercream frosting! I’ve been making this frosting for years and am sharing all of my tips and tricks so you can make delicious fluffy chocolate frosting from scratch that turns out perfectly every time. You’ll never need another buttercream recipe again once you have this one – it’s…

four stacked chocolate cookies

Storing and Freezing Instructions

Unfrosted cookies: Allow the cookies to cool completely and then store them in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for two to three days, or you can freeze them for up to three months.

Frosted sugar cookies: Allow the frosting to set fully, and then place the cookies in an airtight container with wax paper separating them. They will keep for a few days at room temperature, or you can freeze them for up to three months.

stacked chocolate cookies with the one on top frosted with colorful sprinkles

FAQs

Can you add cocoa powder to your sugar cookie recipe?

You can add unsweetened cocoa powder to sugar cookies, but the amount will depend on the recipe. My tried and true chocolate sugar cookie recipe has the perfect amount to make soft and chewy cookies rich with chocolate flavor.

What makes cookies more soft and chewy?

The ratio of ingredients place a big part but also the baking temperature and time. For the best soft and chewy cookies, don’t overbake the cookies, which will cause them to dry out.

What makes a cookie more moist?

I use one whole egg and an extra egg yolk for my drop chocolate sugar cookies. That extra egg yolk adds more moisture giving the cookies a great texture.

multiple chocolate cookies in a pan with some frosted with sprinkles on top

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

4.91 from 32 votes
Chocolate Cookies without brown sugar. Different ways to frost cookies or leave them plain as well!
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 39 minutes
Yield 23 servings
Serving Size 1 serving

Ingredients
 

Cookies

  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • cup (27g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¾ cups (217g) all-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar for rolling (optional; see note)

Frosting:

  • 4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons (10g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ¼ cups (141g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons milk
  • Sprinkles optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
  • Cream butter and sugar for about a minute, or until fluffy, using a hand or a stand mixer.
  • Add egg, egg yolk, vanilla, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt and mix until combined, then mix in cocoa.
  • Add flour and mix until smooth.
  • Scoop 2 tablespoon size balls of cookie dough and place on cookie sheet 2-inches apart. If desired, roll them in granulated sugar beforehand.
  • Bake 9-14 minutes, or until no longer glossy. If you’ve rolled them in sugar, those will be slightly cracked. Do not over bake. Cool before frosting.
  • Make frosting: beat butter with cocoa and powdered sugar until crumbly. Add salt, vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk; mix until smooth, adding more milk as needed for spreadable consistency.
  • Frosting cookies as desired. Top with sprinkles if you want.

Recipe Notes

  • These cookies spread more on parchment than they do on silicone, so for puffier cookies bake on a silpat baking mat.
  • I roll the cookies in sugar prior to baking if I’m not frosting them. It makes them prettier.
  • If you’re frosting them, you don’t need to roll them in sugar.
    Frosting recipe is enough to frost entire batch of cookies.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 281IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies without brown sugar – this is a classic drop sugar cookie recipe turned chocolate – make them plain or with easy chocolate frosting!

Last Updated on August 19, 2023



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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24 Comments

  1. These cookies are soooo good! Soft and delicious. Very easy to make. I refrigerated my dough overnight and baked them early the next morning. They came out perfect! You have to try these chocolate sugar cookies! This recipe is a keeper!

  2. These cookies are soooo good! Soft and delicious. Very easy to make. I refrigerated my dough overnight and baked them early the next morning. The came out perfect! You have to try these chocolate sugar cookies! This recipe is a keeper!

  3. This recipe was so easy to make and I had all the ingredients on hand. They made the house smell great and have soft centers and crispy edges.

    1. Your butter measurement is wrong. 1/2 C. Of butter is 114 grams so 3/4 c would be 171 grams since I usually go by weight which one is correct?

  4. Wonderful cookies!! They have a great chocolate flavor, and the frosting turned out amazing! Fun recipe to make with kids!

  5. All the soft deliciousness of a regular sugar cookie with the chocolate flavor. Most chocolate cookies are dense these are light and fudgy. A bonus here is no chill time. So if you want them..make them and eat them without that wait