Chocolate Cut Out Cookies
These Chocolate Cut Out Sugar Cookies are packed with delicious chocolate flavor, slightly chewy centers and crispy edges. If you are looking for brownie like sugar cookie look no further. They are perfect plain, decorated with icing, chocolate or sandwiched with your favorite filling.
updated from 2014
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CUT OUT COOKIES
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Things to Do with Chocolate Cookie Dough
- Ingredients
- Cream Butter and Sugar
- Flavorings
- Cocoa Powder
- Dry Ingredients
- Chocolate Cookie Dough
- Roll Out Cookie Dough
- Bake Cookies
- FAQ
COOKIE DOUGH USES
This cut out cookie recipe is really fantastic. Cookie dough is easy to make and it is also very versatile. Baked cookies can be decorated with icing, fondant or chocolate. When you omit baking powder you can make molded cookies. Or use textured mats to transfer beautiful designs onto the cookies.
You can roll out cookies thinly to make them crispy and fill them with jam, ganache, peanut butter or coconut filling. And guess what? You can also use these chocolate brownie cut out cookies to make ice cream sandwiches. So good!
Let’s make some chocolate cookies. But be aware, they are extremely addictive.
INGREDIENTS
Just like with most of the baking recipes be sure to use room temperature ingredients.
- Unsalted Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract
- Instant Espresso Powder or Strong Granulated Coffee
- Cocoa Powder – preferably use Dutch Processed
- Flour
- Salt
- Baking Powder – if you don’t have dutch processed cocoa powder use natural and omit baking powder
TIP : Are you looking for a vegan variation of this recipe, try my Vegan Cookies instead.
CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR
Cream room temperature butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until pale in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl few times to ensure all of the ingredients are well blended together, (steps 1-8).
TIP : Butter that is too soft can cause your cookies to spread.
WET INGREDIENTS AND FLAVORINGS
In this recipe I use 2 whole large eggs at room temperature.
To enhance chocolate flavor I also use coffee in this cookie recipe. Using coffee is totally optional. Along with coffee I use Vanilla and Almond Extracts. Almond extract is also optional. I like to add it to deepen the flavor slightly. If you prefer you can also use chocolate extract to double down on chocolate flavor.
Into the room temperature eggs add Vanilla Extract, Almond Extract and instant coffee granules or espresso powder. Whisk well to combine, (steps 1-8).
TIP : Bring cold eggs to room temperature by submerging them in warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Into the creamed butter and sugars gradually beat in egg mixture. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all is well combined.
COCOA POWDER
When it comes to cocoa powder I’d recommend that you use Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe. If you can’t find any it’s okay to use natural cocoa powder but omit the baking powder in the recipe.
Sift a cocoa powder thru a fine mesh sieve into a butter mixture. Beat well until combined and mixture is homogeneous, (steps 1-3).
TIP : It’s important to sift cocoa powder. Don’t skip this step or you might be unpleasantly surprised with cocoa powder lumps in the cookie dough.
DRY INGREDIENTS
I’m using all purpose flour along with salt and baking powder.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl, (steps 1-5).
TIP : If you are using natural cocoa powder for the best results omit baking powder.
CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH
Now you can gradually add flour mixture into the butter mixture. On low speed add flour in 3 additions, scrapping down the bowl few times to make sure all the flour is well blended in, (steps 1-6).
Dump cookie dough onto a work surface and gather it into a disk. I personally like to give it a quick 5-10 second kneading by hand to bring it all together, (steps 7-8).
ROLL OUT COOKIE DOUGH
At this point you have 3 options:
- You can roll out freshly made cookie dough between 2 parchment sheets, slide it onto a tray and stick it into the fridge for an hour and up to 6 hours and then cut out and bake cookies. If you let rolled out cookie dough in the fridge for longer then 8 hours, edges start to dry out a bit.
- Wrap cookie dough disk into a food wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours and up to 3 days. Then roll out cookie dough.
- Wrap well in food wrap and place wrapped disk into a freezer safe ziploc bag/container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When I work with a chilled or previously frozen cookie disk, before I start rolling out cookie dough I like to quarter the disk and then I take one quarter and set it aside. Rest of the cookie dough I slice into about 1 inch thick pieces, (steps 1-3).
Roll out quarter of the cookie dough you set aside. If it’s too hard to roll out microwave it on high for 5 seconds. Roll out cookie dough to about ¼ inch between silicone mats or use 2 parchment sheets, (steps 1-4).
TIP : If you plan on decorating cookies with icing I’d recommend that you roll out cookie dough to about ¼ inch or thicker. However, you can roll the cookie dough thinner if you are not decorating them or, for example if you’re making sandwich cookies.
CUT OUT COOKIES
Cut out cookies with cookie cutter or hand cut unique shapes and transfer cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, (steps 1-3).
You can bake cookies right away. Chill the the remaining cut out cookies until your first batch bakes.
Gather scraps, take one or 2 pieces of sliced chilled cookie dough. With your hands press it together and roll it out and repeat the process.
BAKE CHOCOLATE CUT OUT COOKIES
I bake chocolate cut out cookies at 375F (190C). Medium size cookies (3 inch) take about 7-10 minutes. Small (1 inch size) cookies will be done a little faster, about 6-7 minutes. Also, remember thinner cookies will be baked faster.
HOW TO MAKE COOKIES CHEWIER?
Use more brown sugar (1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup granulated sugar).
HOW LONG DO CHOCOLATE CUT OUT COOKIE LAST?
Cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container last for up to 2 weeks.
CAN I FREEZE COOKIES?
Yes, you can freeze cookies.
- Freeze unbaked cookies on a tray, then layer frozen unbaked cutouts into a freezer safe container, between pieces of parchment. Freeze up to 3 months. When ready to bake, transfer frozen unbaked cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes then bake the cookies as usual.
- Freeze baked and cooled cookies in a freezer safe container layered between sheets of parchment. Refer to my step by step tutorial on How to Freeze Cut Out Cookies. Cookies can be frozen up to 3 months. To decorate frozen cookies allow them to thaw completely before decorating. I recommend letting them sit on a counter for 3-5 hours or overnight.
WHAT ICING PAIRS NICELY WITH CHOCOLATE COOKIES?
If you plan on decorating cookies these chocolate brownie cut out cookies pair nicely with vanilla, orange, chocolate, coffee, caramel and even lemon royal icing.
I used orange royal icing to decorate these Monarch Butterfly Cookies.
This best ever chocolate cookie dough can be also used to make sandwich cookies, filled with jam, Nutella, peanut butter filling or you can make chocolate s’mores.
MORE CUT OUT COOKIE RECIPES
- Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Classic Vanilla Sugar Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
- Raspberry Valentine’s Day Heart Cookies
- Honey Cookie Recipe
- Homemade Graham Crackers
Chocolate Cookie Cut Out Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CUT OUT COOKIES
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (430 grams)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 sticks room temperature butter (226grams)
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (110 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp espresso powder
- 2/3 cup dark baking cocoa powder (70 grams)
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CUT OUT COOKIES
Cookie Dough
- In a mixing bowl beat room temperature butter and both sugars, for about 2 minutes, until fluffy, scrape down the bowl.
- In a small dish whisk eggs and extracts.Gradually add the egg mixture to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.
- Sift cocoa powder and espresso powder into a bowl.At low speed, beat the cocoa-coffee powder mixture to the butter mixture until well combined. Scrape down the bowl.
- Sift flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl.Gradually, in 3 additions, at low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Scrape down the bowl. The cookie dough will be soft.
Chill the Cookie Dough
- Wrap cookie dough into plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
Bake Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375F(190C). Roll the cookie dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper, and roll it to 1/4 thick. Cut out cookies.Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a perforated mat. Small cookies (2inchesh and less) bake in 6-7 minutes. Larger cookies (3-3.5 inches) take about 9-10 minutes.
Notes
- How long do these cookies keep? Stored in an airtight container, cookies keep for up to 2 weeks
- Can I freeze cookies? Yes, you can freeze undecorated cookies between pieces of wax paper in a large freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Can I decorate cookie with royal icing? Decorate cookies as desired with royal icing or another medium that you use.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @hanielas on Instagram and hashtag it #hanielas
This recipe was originally published on February 14th, 2014. On February 12th, 2021 I updated this post with new step by step photos, text and a video.1
Hi, I just finished baking these. I made 64 2-inch hearts, 3/8 to 1/4 inch thick (by sight, I measured a couple to keep accuracy), with one recipe.
I undercooked them at 7 minutes the first batch and then cooked the rest for 8 minutes, may be my oven.
I will flood with royal icing and sand with pink, white, and red sugars. Wish me luck. We tried a couple of them, they’re delicious. Thanks for the recipe !
Hi Andrea,
Keep me posted how it goes with the decorating.
I’m happy to hear you enjoy them.
They came out great. Thank you. What a delicious (and sturdy 🙂 recipe. Very versatile. I plan to use it in the fall for my Halloween/Day of the Dead skulls which I always like to do in chocolate.
Thank you for your feedback, Andrea. 🙂
Hello! Made this recipe years ago and they were great. Now with this detailed picture tutorial, and video, my granddaughter could make them on her own! How much work this took you!! I appreciate it so much!
Roni W
Hi Roni,
Thank you so much. Happy Baking.
Just made for my granddaughter’s recital…wish I knew how to send pictures…used ballet shoes fondant and feather fondant molds on one decoration and also a free handed a sketch of her head and hair with little flower and feather wreath….(wearing white fascinator with feather). The cookies are perfectly shaped and flat…I feel like a pro!! Thanks again!
Veronica, that’s fantastic. I’m sure your granddaughter was happy to have special cookies. So sweet. Thank you for sharing.
Can you freeze the raw dough?
Hi Gina,
Yes, you can.
Love these cookies!! I’ve made them twice but didn’t pay attention to how many it made. Now I want to make them for an event and I’m trying to plan. How many cookies does one recipe make?
Hi Aubry,
I’m so glad you like them. 🙂 It depends on how thick you make them. Rolled out 1/4 inch thick it should make about 15-17 cookies that are 3-inch wide.
I can’t wait for the butter to come to room temp so I can try making these cookies. They look divine un-frosted. I stumbled to your page by accident. It looks like it’s going to be a great accident! I can’t wait to try this recipe and other recipes on your page 🙂 TY for making baking easy for everyone.
Hello!
How did the cookies turn out? Thank you for stopping by.
Hani
Hi! I have been working long hours from peak season. I have not had a chance to make the chocolate cookies yet. Once work slows down I will definitely make them and let you know 🙂
Thank you.
Happy New Year.
Hi! can I use this chocolate recipe for make like a gingerbread house to decorate for kids?
Hi Dafne,
Maybe a small one would be fine. I haven’t tried for gingerbread house yet.
In your sugar cookie recipe 3 cups of flour is 430 grams. In this recipes you have 3 cups of flour being 450 grams. Which one do I use?
Hi Sharon, sorry about confusion, I use 430grams.
just made your chocolate cut out cookies. it was my first time branching out to a different recipe than my own basic cut out cookies so I was nervous. but I was very happy because they turned out great. i only omitted the almond extract since I didn’t have any. thanks so much, i plan on trying the oatmeal ones next!
Hi Beth,
so glad you like them. I could eat these plain. I love them. Thank you.
Hi. The amount of eggs to use is missing from your list of ingredients. I did find the info in your video.