Chocolate cut out sugar cookies

Name: Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 82 min
Ingredients: 150 grams white caster sugar; 50 grams vanilla sugar; 200 grams unsalted butter, softened; 1 egg; 350 grams all-purpose flour; 50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

Posted: September 19, 2025 Last modified: November 2, 2025

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In the article below, you’ll find a simple recipe for chocolate sugar cookies. These chocolate cookies hold their shape beautifully while baking, which makes them perfect for decorating with royal icing – or just for using your favorite cookie cutters!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy – I use this recipe for just about any cut-out cookies I’m making. Sometimes in chocolate version such as these or in the plain version such as these cut out sugar cookies.
Adjustable – you can use the recipe as it is or ad spices to make a gingerbread version or keep them plain. There is so much you can do.
Fun shapes – I love making cookies in all sorts of different shapes and like to vary this with the season. These chocolate cut out cookies can be any shape you want them to be!

Recipe Ingredients

White caster sugar – depending on how you want your cookies to taste you can use different kinds of sugar, but the best results are with plain caster sugar.
Vanilla sugar – this gives the cookies an extra delicious flavor
Unsalted butter – softened
Egg
All-purpose flour
Unsweetened natural cocoa powder – check what is the difference between using chocolate or cocoa powder

Make sure to check the recipe card below for full instructions on exact quantities. Other than that you will also need to use cookie cutters to make the shapes.

Making Chocolate Sugar Cookies

These chocolate sugar cookies are a twist on the classic sugar cookie recipe I shared earlier. I always use that base recipe when decorating with royal icing, since the cookies need to keep their shape in the oven.

Because the recipe uses a relatively high amount of flour, I find the plain sugar cookies taste best with a layer of icing. But this chocolate version? It’s absolutely delicious even without icing! They hold their shape in the oven and smell amazing while baking, also important!

So whether you’re spending the afternoon baking cookies in all shapes and sizes with the kids, or you’re planning to decorate with royal icing (like in this gingerbread cookie version), this recipe is a must-try.

How To Make Chocolate Cut Out Sugar Cookies

For making these delicious buttery cookies, I like to use a paddle attachment and a stand mixer. That said, you can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer. You start by creaming the butter with the sugar and the vanilla sugar. Mix until creamy and fluffy at which stage you add the egg.

The last step is to add the flour and the cocoa powder. Mix until combined and wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for an hour at least.

Roll out the dough

Next step is roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch/5mm thickness. This is best done on a work surface dusted with a bit of flour or even cocoa powder in the case of chocolate cookies.

Use your favorite cookie cutter to make the shapes and place the cookies on sheets of parchment paper on a baking tray and bake in the oven until golden brown (which might be hard to see as the cookies are already brown in this case). They will need about 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie cutter.

Keep in mind that the baked cookies will still be soft when they come out of the oven. They will firm up as soon as they cool down.

Decorating Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookie recipes are ideal when you want your cookies to keep their shape. Many types of cookie dough spread quite a bit in the oven, but not this one.

You’ll see that the cut-out shape remains perfectly intact after baking. That makes them perfect for decorating with icing or royal icing. I love to decorate these cookies with melted chocolate too!

I will soon be sharing my top tips for royal icing but for now make sure to check out these articles on the best cookies.

How do I know when the cookies are done?

Cookies usually come out of the oven still soft. So don’t rely on touch alone! It’s best to trust the recipe and get to know your own oven.

How long can I store cookie dough?

Wrapped airtight, you can store sugar cookie dough in the fridge for up to two days. In the freezer, it keeps even longer – up to three months (again, airtight).

Can I use any type of cookie cutter?

Yes! Just be sure to bake cookies of similar sizes on the same baking sheet. Smaller cookies bake a few minutes faster than larger ones.

I love using a set of round cutters in various sizes.

Can I mix chocolate into the dough?

Absolutely. I’ve done this before with my basic sugar cookie recipe – it’s listed under chocolate chip sugar cookies. For the recipe below, use 150 grams (about 1 cup) of mini chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate. Knead it into the dough at the end of step 1, then continue with step 2 as normal.

Storing the cookies

These cookies will keep for about 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. When frozen, they will keep for up to 3 months in that same airtight container.

Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe

With this chocolate sugar cookie recipe, you can go in all directions! These cookies hold their shape during baking, making them ideal for decorating with royal icing.

Prep Time10

Cook Time12

Resting1

Total Time1 22

Servings: cookies

Ingredients

Metric | US Customary

150 grams white caster sugar
50 grams vanilla sugar
200 grams unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
350 grams all-purpose flour
50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

Equipment

Cookie cutters

Instructions

Cream the caster sugar, vanilla sugar, and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
Add the flour and cocoa powder and mix until a firm dough forms.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 0.5 cm (¼ inch) thickness. Don’t use too much flour, since this recipe already contains a lot, too much extra can affect the flavor.
Cut out cookies with your favorite cutters.
Place cookies on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes at 180 °C (350 °F), using a conventional oven. Smaller cookies bake a bit faster, so it’s best to bake similar sizes together.
Cookies will still be soft when they come out of the oven. Let them cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack. Once fully cooled, decorate with royal icing or melted chocolate if you like.

How to store

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. In the freezer they keep for up to 3 months.

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Chocolate cut out sugar cookies