Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookie

Hi guys! Who can resist the combination of rich dark chocolate and the buttery goodness of a sugar cookie? I know my kids can’t! You’re in for a treat if you’re a cookie fan who strikes the perfect balance between sweetness and deep chocolate flavor. This dark chocolate sugar cookie recipe has finally made it out of my kitchen, not only because it’s delicious but also because the color is perfect for a chocolate cookie, and it’s so fun to decorate. Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just indulging your sweet tooth, these cookies will impress.

I love to pair this roll-out sugar cookie recipe with my royal icing recipe.

About the Ingredients

Cream cheese: Is one of my favorite ingredients for roll-out cookies. It adds a hint of tanginess and richness to the cookie dough. Keep in mind to not let it reach room temperature.

Butter: I use brand-name butter cut into squares and keep it cool before using it to prevent spreading. Once I’m ready to use it, I wait until it reaches a soft consistency, but I don’t let it reach room temperature.

Flavors: I use LorAnn for their Emulsions and Nielsen-Massey for top-quality vanilla paste.

Eggs: Large eggs are a standard size to ensure consistent results, so using them helps maintain consistency in the recipe’s proportions and moisture content. I use two egg yolks because they have more fat, and a higher fat content adds moisture and tenderness to my cookie. The fat in egg yolks helps emulsify the ingredients in the dough. Also, using only egg yolks reduces the protein content in the recipe, resulting in a softer and moister cookie.

Flour: I prefer King Arthur’s All-Purpose Flour as my primary flour choice due to its consistent quality and reliability. This flour has a protein content of approximately 11.7%, which is higher than other all-purpose flour. The added protein provides stability and structure to your roll-out cookie dough, resulting in better shape retention during baking and less spreading. Additionally, the protein content of flour impacts the texture of baked goods. In general, higher protein content results in a slightly chewier texture.

Confectioners’ sugar: It helps control moisture, provides stability to the dough, and gives your cookies the perfect texture and appearance. Plus, it helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking, so you get perfectly shaped treats every time.

Packed Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is known for its moisture content due to the presence of molasses. By packing it, you ensure the correct amount is used, which keeps the cookies soft and chewy. The molasses also adds a rich, deeper flavor that complements the dark chocolate notes.

Instant Coffee: Coffee is often used as a flavor enhancer in chocolate-based recipes. In small amounts, instant coffee won’t necessarily make the cookies taste like coffee but will intensify the chocolate flavor, making it richer and more complex.

Black Cocoa Powder: Black cocoa powder is darker and less acidic than regular cocoa powder. It provides a deep, almost bittersweet chocolate flavor, giving the cookies a rich, dark color and a smooth, intense taste that elevates the chocolate experience. I use The Cocoa Trader brand for my black cocoa powder.

A  few tips about my Recipe

Here are some tips that, as a non-baker, I didn’t know when I started baking cookies in 2012.

Creaming Butter: Creaming the butter, cream cheese, and sugar for the perfect cookie is crucial. The air pockets expand during baking, resulting in a softer and more delicate texture. This process also establishes a stable structure in the dough. As the sugar crystals dissolve and mix with the fat, they trap air and create a semi-solid matrix that supports the cookies while baking. Consequently, they hold their shape and don’t spread excessively.

At first, I was puzzled by the term “room temperature” when trying out new recipes. However, after experimentation, I learned that slightly warmer cream cheese and butter make for a much smoother spread.

I used to roll out my dough to a thickness of ³/₈“, but I’ve discovered that it tends to spread out too much during baking. Therefore, I have decided to go with a ⁵/₁₆” thickness instead.

To prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin, I suggest using powdered sugar or plastic wrap instead of flour, which can dry the dough and make the cookies too hard.

To minimize the number of scraps, I recommend cutting shapes as close together as possible, maybe cutting minis if you have big spaces. Additionally, I’ve learned that the more I roll out my dough, the more the cookies spread. So, it’s best to avoid kneading the scraps when re-rolling them and try not to handle them too much since the warmth from your hands may cause the dough to spread more during baking.

I like using almost frozen dough to cut out precise shapes and avoid spreading. I even pop the dough back in the freezer when I re-roll it for consistency. And let me tell you, using Chua mats has made a massive difference in my baked cookies. My cookies come out with a delightful texture on the bottom and barely any spreading.

Lastly, as soon as my cookies come out of the oven, I use a fondant smoother to flatten the surface and cover them with a sheet lid to trap the moisture. I learned this last trick from Casy.