Irresistible No-Roll Chocolate Sugar Cookies: Your New Favorite Soft & Chewy Treat

Are you tired of the endless cycle of rolling, cutting, and re-rolling dough when making sugar cookies? Say goodbye to the fuss with these incredibly easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies! This recipe delivers a batch of soft, chewy chocolate cookies that you simply scoop, bake, and then adorn with a luscious chocolate frosting. It’s homemade cookie perfection without the usual hassle.

One of the true joys of baking is the sheer variety of flavors and textures available in the world of cookies. From timeless classics to festive holiday delights, there’s a cookie for every craving and occasion. We all have our go-to recipes, whether it’s for a quick treat or a special event.

You have beloved staples like small batch chocolate chip cookies, rich small batch peanut butter cookies, and comforting snickerdoodles without cream of tartar.

Then there are the seasonal stars, such as fragrant small batch gingerbread cookies and vibrant red velvet sugar cookies. Each brings its own unique charm and flavor profile to the table, making any cookie spread a delightful experience.

However, I firmly believe that no cookie collection is truly complete without the addition of decadent Chocolate Sugar Cookies. They offer that perfect blend of classic sugar cookie sweetness with a deep, rich chocolate twist that’s simply irresistible. These cookies are a must-have for any chocolate lover!

While I adore the taste and aesthetic of beautifully decorated cookies – I mean, who doesn’t love a stunning cookie? – I’m personally not the biggest fan of the decorating process itself. Yes, I do have my recipe for chocolate chip cut out cookies, but let’s be honest, the effort can sometimes outweigh the joy.

My enthusiasm often wanes when faced with the repetitive steps of chilling, rolling, cutting, then chilling again, more rolling, more cutting, followed by attempts at intricate decorating with my admittedly subpar art skills, often resulting in sprinkles scattered across the entire kitchen floor. It’s a labor of love, but one that sometimes feels more like labor than love.

That’s precisely why I developed this recipe for chocolate sugar cookies: it allows you to enjoy all the deliciousness of homemade sugar cookies with chocolate, but with significantly less effort. By opting for a scoop-and-bake method, you skip all the tedious rolling and cutting. This means less work for you, less mess in the kitchen, and more precious time dedicated to enjoying those scrumptious cookies!

These chocolate sugar cookies share a delightful softness with my popular pumpkin sugar cookies and bright orange cookies. However, they are specifically crafted for serious chocolate enthusiasts, featuring a rich chocolate batter and crowned with a creamy, dreamy chocolate frosting. Every bite is a celebration of deep cocoa flavor.

These are small-batch chocolate sugar cookies, perfect for when you want a fresh, homemade treat without an overwhelming quantity. They are known for their incredibly soft centers, complemented by perfectly crisp edges and a satisfying, subtle chew. The texture is simply divine, striking that ideal balance between tender and firm.

Don’t just save these for special occasions! They are fantastic for your Christmas cookie platter, impressive to share with friends, or simply the perfect companion for a cozy evening snack while you binge-watch your favorite TV show. Whenever you decide to make them, these cookies are guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

Why You’ll Love These Scoop-and-Bake Chocolate Sugar Cookies

There are countless reasons why these chocolate sugar cookies are destined to become a new favorite in your baking repertoire:

• Effortless Elegance: Forget the parchment paper templates, the floury countertops, and the endless re-rolling. This scoop-and-bake method makes homemade chocolate sugar cookies accessible to everyone, even beginner bakers or those short on time.
• Perfect Texture Every Time: We’re talking soft, tender centers with just the right amount of chew, and subtly crisp edges that provide a delightful contrast. No dry or crumbly cookies here!
• Deep Chocolate Flavor: These aren’t just vanilla sugar cookies with a hint of cocoa. Thanks to unsweetened cocoa powder and a secret ingredient (espresso powder!), they boast a rich, intense chocolate flavor that truly satisfies.
• Versatile & Customizable: While divine with chocolate frosting, these cookies are a blank canvas for your favorite toppings. Experiment with different frostings, sprinkles, or even a dusting of powdered sugar.
• Freezer-Friendly: Whether you want to bake ahead for a party or simply keep some cookie dough on hand for impromptu cravings, this recipe freezes beautifully, both as dough and baked cookies.
• Small Batch Friendly: The recipe is designed for a perfect small batch, yielding about 9 cookies, which is ideal for a household of one or two, or when you just need a modest treat. Of course, it’s easily doubled too!

Essential Ingredients For The Best Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Crafting these irresistible chocolate sugar cookies requires a few key ingredients, each playing a vital role in achieving their incredible flavor and texture. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need to make these decadent treats without chocolate chips:

• All-Purpose Flour: This is the structural backbone of your cookies. It binds all the ingredients together, providing the necessary body and chewiness. For best results, measure your flour accurately by spooning it into a measuring cup and then leveling it off. Sifting isn’t typically necessary unless your flour is very clumpy.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The star of our chocolate show! Be sure to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder (like Hershey’s or Ghirardelli). Dutch-processed cocoa, while great for some recipes, reacts differently with leavening agents. Natural cocoa powder is slightly acidic and works perfectly with baking powder to give these cookies their lift and tender texture.
• Baking Powder: This leavening agent is crucial for creating those coveted crisp edges and soft, puffed middles. It reacts with the acidic cocoa powder to produce carbon dioxide, giving the cookies their lift and light texture.
• Salt: A small but mighty ingredient! Salt doesn’t just prevent bland cookies; it enhances all the other flavors, especially the chocolate, making it taste even richer and more profound. If you’re using unsalted butter (which is recommended for better control over salt content), don’t skip this!
• Espresso Powder: This is our secret weapon for an intensely chocolatey flavor. Don’t worry, your cookies won’t taste like coffee! Espresso powder (or instant coffee) simply deepens and amplifies the chocolate notes, similar to how a pinch of salt makes sweet flavors pop. It’s optional, but highly recommended for the ultimate chocolate experience.
• Granulated Sugar: Beyond just sweetening the cookies, sugar contributes significantly to their texture, helping to create that delightful chewiness and promoting browning on the edges.
• Unsalted Butter: Provides essential fat for tenderness and richness. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the exact amount of salt in your recipe. It’s crucial that your butter is softened to room temperature; this ensures it creams properly with the sugar, incorporating air for a light texture.
• Large Egg: Acts as a binder, adds moisture, and contributes to the cookie’s structure and richness. Make sure your egg is also at room temperature, as this helps it emulsify better with the butter and sugar, resulting in a smoother, more uniform dough.
• Vanilla Extract: A classic flavor enhancer that beautifully complements and elevates the chocolate. Use a good quality pure vanilla extract for the best results.

Unlocking Richness: What is Espresso Powder?

The secret to achieving the absolute best, most profound chocolate flavor in this sugar cookie recipe lies in a small, powerful ingredient: espresso powder.

Espresso powder consists of highly concentrated instant coffee crystals. Unlike regular instant coffee, it’s much stronger and more finely ground, designed to dissolve quickly in hot liquids. Its intensity is what makes it so effective.

Contrary to what you might expect, adding espresso powder doesn’t make your cookies taste like coffee. Instead, it works wonders by intensifying the chocolate flavor, making it richer, deeper, and more complex. Think of it like adding a pinch of salt to a dish – it doesn’t make it salty, but it brings out and enhances all the other flavors, preventing a bland taste.

You can often find espresso powder in the baking aisle, or sometimes in the international foods section (specifically Italian products) of larger grocery stores. If you struggle to locate it, high-quality instant coffee can be used as a substitute, although the chocolate flavor enhancement might not be quite as intense. Don’t skip it if you want truly exceptional chocolate cookies!

How To Master Chocolate Sugar Cookie Baking

Making this chocolate sugar cookie recipe is incredibly straightforward and rewarding! Follow these simple steps for perfectly soft, chewy, and deeply chocolatey cookies every time:

1. Prepare Your Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder until thoroughly combined. This ensures the leavening and flavor are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the granulated sugar and softened unsalted butter together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy. This process incorporates air, which is crucial for the cookies’ texture.
3. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Beat in the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract, mixing until they are fully incorporated into the butter-sugar mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well combined.
4. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the whisked flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms. Be careful not to overmix; overmixing can lead to tough cookies. The dough will be soft and scoopable, not stiff.
5. Scoop and Bake: Use a cookie scoop (a #40 scoop works perfectly for uniform cookies) or your hands to portion the dough into balls, about 1 ½ tablespoons each. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving enough space between them. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the middles are slightly puffed. They might still look a little soft in the center, but they will firm up as they cool.

Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once cooled, they are ready to be decorated as desired. Store your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you choose to use a perishable frosting like cream cheese frosting, remember to keep the frosted cookies refrigerated.

Elevate Your Cookies: Frosting Options for Chocolate Sugar Cookies

While these chocolate sugar cookies are absolutely delicious on their own, adding a layer of frosting takes them to an entirely new level of indulgence. The choice of frosting can dramatically change the flavor profile, allowing for endless customization. Here are some fantastic options:

For the ultimate chocolate lover, double down on the cocoa with a rich chocolate buttercream or a tangy-sweet chocolate cream cheese frosting. These choices intensify the chocolate experience, creating a truly decadent treat.

If you prefer to balance out the deep chocolate with something lighter, consider a classic small batch cream cheese frosting for a subtle tang, or a smooth small batch buttercream frosting for a creamy, sweet finish. These options provide a lovely contrast that allows both the cookie and the frosting to shine.

For those who believe opposites attract, a nutty twist can be incredibly satisfying. Try a rich peanut butter frosting or a creamy peanut butter cream cheese frosting. The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is a timeless classic that rarely disappoints.

If you’re craving something fresh and fruity, a berry-infused frosting can provide a delightful burst of flavor. Consider a vibrant strawberry cream cheese frosting, a sweet strawberry buttercream frosting, or a zesty raspberry cream cheese frosting. The fruitiness cuts through the richness of the chocolate beautifully.

No matter which frosting you choose, don’t forget the finishing touches! Top your frosted cookies with festive sprinkles, colorful jimmies, mini chocolate chips, or even a dusting of cocoa powder for an extra flourish that makes them visually appealing and even more delicious.

How To Freeze Chocolate Sugar Cookies for Future Enjoyment

One of the fantastic advantages of baking these chocolate cookies (without chocolate chips, of course!) is how wonderfully they freeze. This makes them perfect for meal prepping desserts, saving for unexpected guests, or simply having a homemade treat ready whenever a craving strikes. You have two excellent methods for freezing your homemade chocolate sugar cookies:

1. Freezing Raw Cookie Dough: This method allows you to bake fresh cookies on demand.
   • First, scoop the cookie dough into uniform balls, just as you would for baking.
   • Place these dough balls on a baking sheet or a plate lined with parchment paper, ensuring they don’t touch each other.
   • Freeze for at least 1 hour, or until the dough balls are firm. This “flash freezing” step prevents them from sticking together.
   • Once solid, transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer-safe plastic bag or an airtight container.
   • Label with the date and freeze for up to 2 months.
   • To bake from frozen: Let the dough balls thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes (or until slightly softened but still cold). Then, bake as directed in the recipe, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time if needed.
2. Freezing Baked (Unfrosted) Cookies: This is ideal if you want to have fully baked cookies ready to thaw and enjoy or frost later.
   • Bake the cookies according to the recipe instructions and let them cool completely on a wire rack. It’s crucial that they are entirely cool before freezing to prevent condensation and ice crystals.
   • Once cool, arrange the unfrosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 30 minutes to an hour, until firm.
   • Transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe airtight container, placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
   • Freeze for up to 2 months.
   • To thaw: Simply remove the desired number of cookies from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for about 15-30 minutes until soft. You can then frost and decorate them if desired.

Always ensure your containers are airtight to prevent freezer burn and keep your cookies tasting fresh.

More Decadent Chocolate Cookie Recipes to Explore

Loved this recipe for simple and delicious chocolate sugar cookies? If you’re a true chocolate connoisseur, you’ll be thrilled to discover these other fantastic chocolate cookie recipes that are sure to satisfy your cravings:

• Oreo Cheesecake Cookies: A decadent fusion of chocolate cookie, creamy cheesecake, and everyone’s favorite sandwich cookie. Pure bliss!
• Flourless Chocolate Cookies: Rich, fudgy, and intensely chocolatey, these naturally gluten-free cookies are a dream for anyone seeking a deep cocoa experience with a crisp exterior and a gooey interior.
• Chocolate Coconut Cookies: A delightful combination of chocolate and tropical coconut, these cookies offer a unique texture and flavor profile. Plus, they’re egg-free!

No matter which chocolate cookie adventure you embark on next, get ready for a delicious journey!

First published December 8, 2016. Updated and enhanced for improved readability and comprehensive baking tips.