Description
These Chocolate Sugar Cookies are a sophisticated twist on the traditional sugar cookie, featuring melted semi-sweet chocolate right in the dough for an intense cocoa punch. They are soft, tender, and hold their shape beautifully without becoming dry or tough. Whether you’re rolling them out for holiday cut-outs or simply making a batch for a weeknight treat, these cookies are surprisingly easy to make and impossible to resist.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 4 ounces Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed for about 2 minutes until pale, creamy, and smooth.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat for another 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Incorporate Chocolate: Pour in the melted (and cooled) semi-sweet chocolate. Beat on low speed just until the chocolate is combined and the mixture is uniform.
- Mix the Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed only until the flour is no longer visible. Do not overmix.
- Roll and Cut: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly flour your work surface. Roll out the dough to a ⅜-inch thickness. Cut using a 2.5-inch cookie cutter.
- Freeze: Place the cut cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake: Transfer chilled cookies to a parchment-lined sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes. The tops should look set but soft.
- Cool: Let cool on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Secret Ingredient: The cornstarch is the secret to keeping these cookies tender and soft.
- Temperature Matters: Ensure the melted chocolate isn’t hot when adding it to the butter mixture, or it will affect the texture.
- Don’t Skip Freezing: Freezing the cut cookies for 15 minutes solidifies the butter, ensuring they keep their sharp shape and don’t spread in the oven.
- Thickness: Rolling the dough to 3/8-inch thickness is key for that soft, thick, bakery-style bite.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
