Chewy Chocolate Sugar Cookies that hold their shape perfectly. There’s no chilling the dough, so they’re ready to roll and bake in minutes. And they won’t spread when baked – making them perfect for decorating. A holiday favourite in my house!
Easy cut-out Chocolate Sugar Cookies ❤️ These gorgeous soft and chewy cocoa cookies are surprisingly easy to make. There’s no chilling the dough, so they’re ready to roll in just minutes.
The best part? These cut-out Chocolate Sugar Cookies hold their shape and don’t spread when baked in the oven – with ZERO chill time.
You can cut them into any size and shape you like, making them perfect for Christmas or special occasions like birthdays, baby showers or even Valentine’s Day.
I’ll even go as far to say they are the best Chocolate Sugar Cookies ever!
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and easy: These Chocolate Sugar Cookies are surprisingly simple to make, but they look so professional!
- Simple ingredients: You don’t need any specialty or hard-to-find ingredients.
- No chill time: There’s no need to chill the dough at all.
- No spreading: These chewy sugar cookies won’t spread when baked – perfect for decorating!
These turned out great and hold their shape nicely. I was looking for a new recipe to try to add to our Christmas cookie recipe book and these are a great addition!
– Noele
Recipe testing
I love cut-out cookies, especially at this time of year 🎄 It doesn’t matter whether it’s Gingerbread Cookies, Linzer Cookies or Sugar Cookies, there’s something so creative and therapeutic about rolling, cutting and decorating your own cookies.
Everyone needs a good sugar cookie recipe. Last year, I created my recipe for Classic Sugar Cookies and discovered a little secret. Using cold butter means you can roll and bake cut-out cookies straight away – with no spreading.
What a game-changer to not have to faff around with chill times!
So I couldn’t wait to make a chocolate version this year. Swapping a little flour for cocoa powder, and adding a touch more sugar to balance the flavours resulted in a perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookie.
Just like traditional sugar cookies, these have a lovely chew and crisp edges. They are ideal for the busy holiday season!
And next, you can try my new Easy Checkerboard Cookie recipe.
Ingredients
You only need a handful of easy-to-find ingredients to make my easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies. Here are the key ingredients, including any substitutions you can make:
- Butter: Make sure your butter is cold – straight from the fridge.
- Caster sugar: Or granulated sugar.
- Plain flour: Or all purpose flour.
- Cocoa powder: Use a natural 100% unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Do not use sweetened cocoa or drinking chocolate.
- Spices: Totally optional, but feel free to add some festive spices like cinnamon and ginger. Or you could add some orange zest for a chocolate orange version. I’ve given some suggestions in the recipe notes below.
- White chocolate: You can decorate these cookies with royal icing or a glaze icing, but I love to use melted chocolate for ease. Any block of white chocolate will work!
- Mini M&M’s: For a festive touch, use mini red and green M&M’s.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make them
These soft and buttery cookies are so quick to make. Since we are using cold butter, I find it easier to use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Here’s a quick breakdown on how to make the cookie dough. The full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
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Step 1: In a large bowl, add butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until combined – there should be no lumps of butter.
Step 2: Add egg and beat again briefly.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until a soft chocolate cookie dough forms.
Step 4: Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out shapes. Place on prepared trays and bake cookies for 11-12 minutes.
Why don’t I need to chill the dough?
Using cold butter is the secret to making cut-out cookies that don’t spread and don’t need chilling. It means this cookie dough is ready to roll and bake straight away.
Just make sure you don’t over-mix your butter and sugar. The more you mix, the warmer your butter becomes, which can cause your cookies to spread. If this happens, don’t worry, chilling the dough in the fridge before baking will work wonders.
If you don’t have a stand mixer or you simply prefer to work with room temperature butter, the same applies. The cookies will still work but you will need to chill the dough for at least an hour before baking. In my opinion, cold butter is the way to go.
Chewy or crispy?
This Chocolate Sugar Cookie recipe is designed to make soft and chewy cookies.
However, if you prefer a crispier cookie, roll your dough out thinner (1/8 inch thick instead of 1/4 inch) and bake your cookies for a few minutes longer.
You’ll still get a perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookie to decorate, but it’ll have more of a crunch.
Decorating cut-out cookies
To keep it easy, I use melted white chocolate and M&M’s to decorate my Christmas cookies, just like I did for my Gingerbread Men.
But you can decorate these cookies using royal icing or my simple glaze icing.
Recipe tips
Here are my best tips for making perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Use cold butter: Using cold butter is the secret to making cut-out cookies that don’t spread and don’t need chilling. Just make sure you don’t overmix your butter and sugar. If you over-mix, your butter will become warm, causing your cookies to spread. If this happens, don’t worry, simply chill the cookie dough for 1 hour before baking.
- Weigh your flour: This recipe relies on the careful ratio of butter and flour. Using cup measurements can result in adding too much flour, which will make your dough dry, crumbly and hard to roll. Using a baking scale will give you just the right amount of flour every time.
- Re-rolling the dough: Your hands are warm so the more you touch your dough, the warmer the butter will become. You can re-roll the leftover dough once but any more than that, I recommend chilling the cookies for 30 minutes before baking just to prevent any spreading.
- Do a tester cookie: Worried about spreading? Bake one tester cookie and see how it goes. If you follow the steps above it should hold its shape, but if it does spread, don’t worry. Once you cut out your cookies, you can pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking and try again.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! These Chocolate Sugar Cookies will keep well in an airtight container for up to 5 days or you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
Absolutely. You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze it. Simply wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container in the freezer. When you are ready to roll, bring it back to room temperature and away you go.
This recipe is designed to make Chocolate Sugar Cookies that don’t spread. However, if you over-mix your butter and/or over-work your dough, the butter will become too warm. This simply means you may need to chill your dough before baking. If you’re worried, simply bake one tester cookie first. If it spreads, chill the remaining cut-out shapes in the fridge for 1 hour and then try again.
More Christmas cookies
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Let’s Bake
Chocolate Sugar Cookies recipe
Soft and chewy cut-out Chocolate Sugar Cookies that don’t require any chilling.
Ingredients
Chocolate sugar cookies
- 170 grams (3/4 cup or 1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, cold, roughly chopped
- 165 grams (3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 280 grams (2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 40 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
To decorate
- White chocolate, melted
- Mini red and green M&M’s
Instructions
- Chocolate sugar cookies
Preheat the oven to 170 C (340 F) standard / 150 C (300 F) fan-forced. Line two large baking trays or cookie sheets with baking paper. - Add butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Turn mixer onto low speed and start to beat butter and sugar.
- Turn mixer up to medium speed and beat just until your butter and sugar is combined and smooth. There shouldn’t be any lumps of butter.
- Add cold egg and vanilla extract. Mix briefly on low speed just to break up the egg yolk. Then add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
- Continue to mix on low speed until a soft, but thick cookie dough forms. It may seem dry and crumbly at first, but just keep mixing and it’ll slowly come together. Shape cookie dough into a large round disc using your hands.
- Place a large sheet of baking or parchment paper on your bench. Place your cookie dough on top. Then, place another sheet of baking or parchment paper on top of the cookie dough. Roll out the dough until it’s 1/4 inch thick (or your desired thickness).
- Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies and carefully transfer them to your prepared trays. You can re-roll the excess dough once and cut out more cookies* (see notes below on re-rolling).
- Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To decorate
Transfer melted white chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a very small round tip. Drizzle over cooled cookies and stick on M&M candy. Leave cookies at room temperature for 1 hour to set.
Notes
Cold butter: Using cold butter is the secret to making cut-out cookies that don’t spread and don’t need chilling. Just make sure you don’t overmix your butter and sugar. If you over-mix, your butter become will become warm, causing your cookies to spread. If this happens, don’t worry, simply chill the cookie dough for 1 hour before baking.
Cocoa powder: Use a natural 100% cocoa powder (unsweetened) or Dutch processed cocoa powder.
Spices: You can make this recipe as is for a regular Chocolate Sugar Cookie, or switch it up and add some festive spices. I love adding 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of ginger. Add spices at the same time as the flour. Or add the finely grated peel of an orange for a chocolate orange version.
Weigh your flour using a baking scale: This recipe relies on the careful ratio of butter and flour. Using cup measurements can result in adding too much flour, which will make your dough dry and crumbly and hard to roll. Using a baking scale will give you just the right amount of flour every time.
Rolling your cookie dough: Your hands are warm so the more you touch your dough, the warmer the butter will become. You can re-roll the leftover dough once but any more than that, I recommend chilling the cookies for 30 minutes before baking just to prevent any spreading.
Worried about spreading? Bake one tester cookie and see how it goes. If you follow the steps above it should hold its shape, but if it does spread, don’t worry. Once you cut out your cookies, you can pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking and try again.
Our favourite
Christmas Desserts
Hi, I’m Jess, the creator of Sweetest Menu and the author of Something Sweet. A self-taught baker and published recipe writer who can’t stop making easy and delicious baking recipes.
Shelly says
Can I stamp these cookies?
Jessica Holmes says
Absolutely Shelly! You can always chill the dough if they get too sticky.
Sian says
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and it never fails! So easy to make and I love that they don’t have to be chilled. They hold their shape perfectly. I’ve just searched it up again to make Halloween cookies and thought I’d better leave a comment to thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh that’s wonderful to hear Sian! We love them in our house too!
Andy says
Amazing – thank you!
Jessica Holmes says
Love to hear it Andy!
Lina says
Its so good I swear I Will forever make these really you must try these it is so easy to make and also fun and it doesn’t take so long for me so I really recommend these!
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So glad you love these as much as I do Lina!
J says
Love the taste and texture of these. They’re like soft and chewy gingerbread cookies except they’re chocolate! Your recipes never disappoints.
Jessica Holmes says
How kind! So glad you love this one as much as I do!
Valerie Veder says
Tried these today. Absolutely delicious 🤤
I put in ginger and cinnamon as suggested! They are amazing!!!!!
Thank you
Jessica Holmes says
I LOVE that! So glad you enjoyed them Valerie!
Erica says
I couldn’t believe how easy these were to roll out & cut! (More than once!!) wow! My toddler helped make these and we had a blast, with a sweet reward at the end (delicious!) I’ll be adding these to my recipe collection, for sure!
Jessica Holmes says
I love hearing that Erica! So glad you and your little one enjoyed them!
Jen Beach says
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I plan to use black cocoa. I bought a bison/buffalo cookie cutter. Trying to replicate a cookie from Elle’s Belles Bakery on Bozeman MT
Jessica Holmes says
That sounds amazing Jen! Let me know how it goes!
Barbara Froilan says
My dough tastes fantastic but when baked, they were very dry. Any recommendations on what I may have done wrong? I followed the recipe exactly.
Jessica Holmes says
I’m sorry to hear that Barbara! They should be lovely and buttery. It could be because you added too much flour? Did you use a baking scale? Otherwise over-baking can also be a factor. These cookies do firm up as they cool so you could try taking them out a few minutes earlier next time.
Amira says
These came out sooo good :))
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad to hear that!
Jaya says
This is a great recipe. I have a moose (biscuit) cutter that is always ‘difficult’. This mixture came out beautifully. I have made chocolate moose’s as gifts for friends for Christmas. Thanks. 🙂
Jessica Holmes says
Aw that’s wonderful! I’m so glad!
chris says
i dont have a scale. will sifted flour work well
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Chris, yes, just measure the flour by spooning it into your measuring cups and scraping the top flat using a knife.
Noele says
These turned out great and hold their shape nicely. I was looking for a new recipe to try to add to our Christmas cookie recipe book and these are a great addition!
Jessica Holmes says
How wonderful! Thank you so much for your lovely feedback Noele!
Lorraine Brinley says
Can I add toffee bits to this dough?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes you can! It may make it slightly more difficult to roll and cut.
Josh says
These were great and held their shape nicely!
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Josh!