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Chocolate Cut Out Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 105 reviews

These Chocolate Cut Out Cookies are rich, tender, and perfect for decorating with your favorite frostings. Featuring a cocoa-infused dough that rolls out easily for precise cutouts, this recipe yields beautifully chocolatey cookies that hold their shape well when baked. Ideal for holidays, celebrations, or any time you want indulgent yet refined chocolate cookies to customize with buttercream, sugar cookie icing, or royal icing.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (85g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups (259g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional Frostings for Decorating

  • Buttercream Frosting
  • Easy Sugar Cookie Icing
  • Royal Icing

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light in color and has a creamy texture.
  3. Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the dough comes together; it will be thick and slightly crumbly but will form a ball. Avoid overmixing. Use a spatula or your hands if needed to bring the dough together.
  5. Chill Dough: Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. While optional, chilling helps the cookies turn out tender and hold their shape better.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  7. Roll Out Dough: Bring dough to room temperature for easier handling. Divide into two equal portions. Roll each portion between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness.
  8. Freeze and Cut Shapes: Place the rolled dough still on parchment onto a cookie sheet and freeze for about 5 minutes. Remove from freezer, peel off the top parchment layer, and immediately cut into desired shapes. Transfer cut cookies onto the baking sheet. You can refreeze the cut cookies a few minutes before baking to reduce spreading.
  9. Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies immediately in the preheated oven for 8 to 12 minutes or until done. The dough should be very cold when placed in the oven.
  10. Shape Warm Cookies (if needed): If the cookies spread more than desired during baking, gently press the edges back in shape using a butter knife or similar while still warm.
  11. Cool Cookies: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  12. Repeat Process: Continue rolling, cutting, freezing, and baking remaining dough portions until all cookies are done.
  13. Decorate: Once cooled, decorate cookies with your choice of buttercream frosting, easy sugar cookie icing, or royal icing for a festive finish.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is recommended for best texture and less spreading.
  • Freezing rolled dough before cutting helps maintain cookie shape.
  • Use parchment or silicone mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
  • Press edges of warm cookies gently if they spread too much during baking.
  • Customize decorations with buttercream, sugar cookie icing, or royal icing based on preference.

Keywords: Chocolate cookies, cut out cookies, cocoa cookies, chocolate cut out, decorated cookies, holiday cookies, roll out cookies, festive cookies

Find it online: https://spatulaqueen.com/chocolate-cut-out-cookies-recipe-2/