This is the easiest recipe for chocolate sugar cookies that exists! The dough does NOT have to be chilled and the cookies taste wonderful. These are cookies you can actually enjoy making with kids and I’ve included a great buttercream frosting recipe to decorate with!
Prep Time25 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time40 minutesmins
Course: Cookies / Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 36cookies
Author: Mirlandra Neuneker
Ingredients
1cupunsalted buttersoftened
1cupgranulated white sugar
1large egg
1tsp.vanilla extract
1/2tsp.almond extract
2tsp.baking powder
1/2tsp.salt
3cupsall-purpose flour
¾cupbaking cocoasuch as Hershy’s
Instructions
Please read the notes section at the end of this recipe before beginning.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer use the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar together at medium-high speed for 1 minute.
On medium speed, beat in the egg, vanilla, almond extract, baking powder and salt.
Measure the flour correctly (see note) and add to the mixer 1 cup at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Add the baking cocoa and beat again until combined.
Don't chill the dough!!! Divide it into two balls and roll out to exactly 1/4" thick on a clean piece of parchment paper using just enough flour on your rolling pin to prevent sticking. (I suggest a rolling pin with measuring disks.) Because you are not using much flour to roll the dough out you can continue to roll it out as many times as needed until all the extra is used up.
Line cookie sheets with clean parchment paper space out cookies on sheets with enough room to rise. Bake at 350F for 6-8 minutes until the cookies start to look set.
As each pan of cookies is done I recommend gently lifting the parchment paper holding the cookies out of the pan and setting it on a cooling rack or allowing cookies to cool on baking sheets. Do not disturb the cookies until cool and set.
Notes
How to Measure Flour: Too much or too little flour makes bad cookies. The correct way to measure flour is to spoon it into the measuring cup and then use the flat edge of a knife to level the cup. This ensures exact measuring.Saving Dough For Later: Yes, you can refrigerate the dough and roll it out later. You will need to knead the dough a bit until it becomes softer or allow it to come up in temperature by leaving it on the counter for about 20 minutes.Rolling Out Dough: I have tried multiple ways of doing this. My favorite is to lay a piece of parchment paper on the counter and roll the cookies out on that. You do not need to flour the paper but will need to lightly flour your rolling pin / the top of the cookie dough. You can use the same piece of paper for the entire batch of dough. When you are done just discard the paper!Freezing Cookies: These generally freeze well for short periods. If you want to freeze them seal them up as soon as they have cooled.