Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Last Updated on September 17, 2026 by Kiersten James
Soft and chewy chocolate sugar cookies with rich cocoa flavor and crackly tops. Simple to make and impossible to stop eating.
I started making these chocolate sugar cookies because I wanted a simple chocolate cookie that didn’t rely on chocolate chips for flavor.
The cocoa powder gives them a rich chocolate taste, while the sugar coating creates those beautiful crackly tops. The soft, chewy centers stay tender for a few days.
My youngest especially loves these. More than once, I’ve walked into the kitchen to find him standing on his tiptoes, trying to sneak one out of the container on the counter before anyone noticed.
Now and then, he’d succeed, and I’d later find the evidence in the chocolate crumb trail back to the playroom. That’s probably my favorite endorsement any recipe can get lol.
These cookies are easy enough to make on an ordinary afternoon, but they’re also the kind of recipe I would happily add to Christmas cookie trays every year.
They look beautiful alongside iced oatmeal cookies and chocolate-dipped Italian butter cookies, but are simple enough that I never need a special occasion to make them.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- No stand mixer
- No dough chilling
- Easiest ingredients
- Ready in about 30 minutes.
Tips for the Best Results
- Spoon the flour into your measuring cup instead of scooping directly from the container.
- Let the butter cool slightly before mixing in the eggs (so you don’t cook them by accident).
- Don’t overmix once you add the flour.
- Take the cookies out of the oven while the centers still look slightly underbaked. They’ll continue setting as they cool.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft.
How to Make Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 2/3 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- 3/4 cup (64 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) baking powder
- 14 tablespoons (198 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place some granulated sugar in a shallow bowl for rolling the cookies.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder until well combined.
Melt the butter, either on the stove or in the microwave, and let it cool for a few minutes. It should be warm, not hot.
Whisk the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt into the butter until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk again until fully combined.
Add the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour remains. Avoid overmixing.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into balls.
Roll each ball in granulated sugar before placing them several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Gently flatten each dough ball until it measures about 2 inches across. Sprinkle a little more granulated sugar over the tops.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Storage & Freezing:
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies or the shaped dough balls for up to 3 months. Frozen dough can be baked straight from the freezer by adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Snickerdoodles
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
Chewy Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Soft and chewy chocolate sugar cookies with rich cocoa flavor and crackly tops. Simple to make and impossible to stop eating.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- 3/4 cup (64 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) baking powder
- 14 tablespoons (198 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon (13 g) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place some granulated sugar in a shallow bowl for rolling the cookies.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder until well combined.
- Melt down the butter, either on the stove or in the microwave, and let it cool for a few minutes. It should be warm, not hot.
- Whisk the brown sugar, vanilla, and salt into the butter until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolk and whisk again until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour remains. Avoid overmixing.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and roll into balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar before placing them several inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Gently flatten each dough ball to about 2 inches across. Sprinkle a little more granulated sugar over the tops.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
