Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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!

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.

1. Add the dry ingredients to a bowl, sifting the cocoa powder to ensure all lumps are removed.
2. Add the wet ingredients
3. Mix the dough together gently with your hands.
4. 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.

I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so please comment below to share!

• 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.

• 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.

Calories: 109kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 99mg, Potassium: 75mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 33IU, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 1mg

This post was first published October 2020.