With just a few simple ingredients and a super easy method, these Chocolate Sugar Cookies are a yummy dessert to share with the kids. We love them plain, but they’re fun with a simple icing, too!
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Baking cut-out cookies is one of my very favorite activities to do with the kids. And these chocolate cookies are easy to work with and fun to eat! These have a nice cocoa flavor and an animal cracker texture—with lower sugar than traditional sugar cookies.
My girls love to roll them out and cut out shapes!
This is totally my speed of baking with kids because the ingredients are super straightforward, the dough is easy to work with, and the cookies bake quickly.
You can do some of the process together or just have the kids help ice the cookies. And you can use any shape of cookie cutter you want to celebrate any occasion. We’ve made them for Christmas dessert and Valentine’s Day and also a day when we just wanted a reason to use our moose cookie cutter!
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy chocolate cookie recipe. See the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for information on how to make these dairy-free and gluten-free. (They’re already egg-free!)
- All-purpose flour: This helps to keep the cookies light and tender, so I love to use this here.
- Sugar: I use a small amount of granulated sugar to ensure the cookies are sweet enough.
- Cocoa powder: I like the SOCA brand of cocoa powder or Hershey’s Special Dark for wonderful cocoa flavor.
- Baking powder: This helps the cookies rise just slightly.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter in my baking so I can control the salt. Let it soften at room temperature for a bit before starting the recipes so you’re ready to go.
- Milk: I use whole milk, but low-fat would work, too. Or use a nondairy option you prefer. It all works about the same.
Ingredient Substitutions
- You can use softened (but not quite melted) coconut oil in place of the butter.
- Regular or dairy-free milk will work.
- You can use coconut sugar or regular granulated sugar.
- A 1:1 style of gluten-free baking mix will work as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process involved in making this recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information.
- Add the dry ingredients to a bowl, sifting the cocoa powder to ensure all lumps are removed.
- Add the wet ingredients
- Mix the dough together gently with your hands.
- Roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.
5. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
6. Bake, let cool, and ice if desired.
TIP: If your dough seems sticky, place in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up a little or roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.
Easy Sugar Cookie Icing
Stir together powdered sugar and milk to make a smooth icing. You want it to be able to spread easily on the cookies and not be too thick. If you place some on the cookies and it runs right off, add a little more powdered sugar.
If it’s too thick to spread, add a drop or two of milk.
You can color the icing with a drop of food coloring if desired.
TIP: Icing is easy for kids to apply to cookies using a clean paintbrush. Put a little icing into a small bowl and let them paint it onto each cookie. This is one of my favorite tips for baking with kids.
How to Store
Store, once cooled, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or freeze in a freezer storage bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Best Tips for Success
- Gluten-Free: Use this gluten-free flour.
- Dairy-Free: Use plain unsweetened nondairy milk in place of dairy milk. Use coconut oil instead of butter. They are delightfully crisp this way! See the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for more details.
- You can use maple syrup instead of sugar if you prefer, BUT they are best eaten on the day they are baked if you go that route. They get soft and a little dense when stored. Sugar helps them have a better texture for a little longer.
- If your dough seems sticky, place in the fridge for 5 minutes to firm up a little or roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.
- Add icing if desired.
- If making smaller shapes, bake for the lower end of the baking time range.
- If making larger shapes, they may need an extra minute or two.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so please comment below to share!
Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup butter (softened at room temperature)
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place all ingredients into a bowl, starting with 2 tablespoons milk, and use your hand to mix together to form a dough. (If the dough is a little crumbly, be sure it’s throughly combined and if it’s still crumbly, add ½-1 tablespoon additional milk until it comes together.)
- Make a flattened disk of dough.
- Place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment on top and roll the dough ¼ inch thick.
- Cut out the dough with a cookie cutter and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet. Add icing if desired.
Video
Notes
- Easy Icing: Stir together ¼ cup powdered sugar and 2-3 teaspoons milk to make a smooth icing. You want to be able to spread it easily on the cookies and not be too thick. If you place some on the cookies and it runs right off, add a little more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick to spread, add a drop or two of milk. You can color the icing with a drop of food coloring if desired.
- Gluten-Free: Use this gluten-free flour.
- Dairy-Free: Use plain unsweetened nondairy milk in place of dairy milk. Use coconut oil instead of butter. If your coconut oil is super firm, you’ll want to soften it a little by warming it very briefly. It should squish easily between two fingers but not be melted into a liquid.
- To Make These with Maple Syrup: Use 2 tablespoons maple syrup in place of the sugar and reduce the milk to 3 tablespoons. Know that they are best eaten on the day they are baked if you go this route. They get soft and a little dense when stored.
- If making smaller shapes, bake for the lower end of the baking time range.
- If making larger shapes, they may need an extra minute or two.
- Store, once cooled, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or freeze in a freezer storage bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition
This post was first published October 2020.
These have been amazing little snacks! We have replaced the cocoa powder with chocolate protein powder. They are easy everyday snacks for us to take into the car or out and about. Gets them filled up and not messy at all. I have made them four times in one week. I need to start doubling the batter because they go so quickly. I have been looking for homemade snacks and this has become a staple in our home. Thank you!
Made the icing. Do I need to refrigerate these now since the icing was made with milk?
No, given the small amount and that it’s with sugar, they’re okay at room temp for a few days.
These are really easy and yummy to make. I love the low sugar taste. It complements an icing if added to it because it’s not a sugar overload. My 3 year old liked them plain but we did decorate some. I love to use your website for my family because of low sugar options. Thank you!
Just made these chocolate cookies with my 2 year old son. We loved the easy hands on recipe and I loved that there was very little sugar in it for kids. My whole family enjoyed them. I will make them again. Thanks so much for sharing this and all your other recipes – so yummy
I’ve never left a review on a website but there’s deserve it, they are great! My 3 year old loves them as does my 1.5year old and I don’t feel bad giving them with so little sugar! They have become my go to treat for them and I cut them really small so they can get more of them.
Oh yay! I’m so glad to hear that and I really appreciate that you let me know!
Hi Amy! Love your recipes, just made your breakfast bars earlier this week! Just wondering if I can use whole wheat flour instead, without compromising any texture?
Hi! Whole wheat flour instead of what? Just want to make sure I understand the question!
Sorry, instead of the all purpose flour!
Hi Amy, those cookies look cute and yummy at the same time. I am not great at baking but these appear to be simple. Also, I guess I can involve my kids in it for the designing bit. Will be a fun activity to do together.
They are very simple! I’d love to hear if you try making them with your kids!