Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies (2024)

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!

(You may also like Easy Sugar Cookies, Animal Crackers, Graham Crackers, healthy Oatmeal Cookies, and healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.)

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 offood coloringif 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 thisgluten-free flour.
• Dairy-Free:Use plain unsweetened nondairy milk in place of dairy milk. Usecoconut 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!

This post was first published October 2020.