Chocolate sugar cookies are the perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day! These heart-shaped treats, with their deep chocolate flavor and smooth royal icing finish, are a delicious treat for sharing with loved ones any timef time of year.

Why You'll Love This Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Rich Chocolate Flavor: The blend of black cocoa powder and espresso powder produces an intense chocolate taste.
- Perfect for Cut-Outs: This dough holds its shape beautifully when using cookie cutters.
- Easy Royal Icing: The icing is simple to make and dries to a glossy finish.
- Great for Celebrations: These cookies are great during the holiday season, birthdays, or whenever you want a sweet treat!

Ingredients in Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- room temperature egg
- vanilla extract
- espresso powder
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- cornstarch
- black cocoa powder - you can substitute for dutch-process cocoa powder

Ingredients for Royal Icing without Meringue Powder
- powdered sugar
- water
- light corn syrup
- vanilla extract
How to Make Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and black cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and espresso powder, beating until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough into two portions, shape into discs, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
- Preheat your oven to 350ยฐF (175ยฐC) and line baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to ยผ-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are set. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Make Royal Icing without Meringue Powder
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, warm water, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- For outlining, ensure the icing is thick and pipeable. For flooding, add a few drops of water at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Divide the icing into small bowls and mix in gel food coloring to achieve your desired shades.
- Transfer the icing to piping bags and snip the tips to your preferred size. Start by outlining the cookies with thick icing, then flood the centers with the thinner icing.
- Use a toothpick to smooth out the icing or create intricate designs.
- Allow the icing to set fully, preferably overnight, before stacking or storing the cookies to ensure a firm and smudge-free finish.

Tips for Making Cut-Out Cookies
- Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour to help the cookie dough keep shape.
- Roll Evenly: Use a rolling with adjustable rings to ensure even thickness for the cookies.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix until ingredients are just combined to prevent tough cookies.
- Use Parchment Paper: Roll the dough between sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Avoid overworking the dough: Only re-roll dough scraps when necessary. Too much handling can make your cookies tough.

Storing Cookies with Royal Icing
- Room Temperature: Store decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent the icing from smudging.
- Freezing Undecorated Cookies: Freeze undecorated cookies in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating.
- Freezing Decorated Cookies: After the royal icing dries completely, stack the cookies on parchment paper in an airtight container. You can freeze them for up to three months. When you're ready to eat them, thaw them in the container to avoid condensation.
More Valentine's Day Inspiration
Try these red velvet cupcakes or heart-shaped cream cheese sugar cookies for more delicious Valentine's Day treats.
๐ Recipe

Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ยฝ cup black cocoa powder
Easy Royal Icing
- 1 ยฝ cups powdered sugar
- ยฝ tablespoon light corn syrup
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cornstarch, and black cocoa powder. Set aside2 cups all purpose flour, ยฝ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ยฝ cup black cocoa powder
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and espresso powder, beating until fully incorporated.1 egg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough into two portions, shape into discs, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350ยฐF (175ยฐC) and line baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to ยผ-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes and place them on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake one cookie sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are set. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Royal Icing without Meringue Powder
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, warm water, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and glossy.1 ยฝ cups powdered sugar, ยฝ tablespoon light corn syrup, ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons water
- For outlining, ensure the icing is thick and pipeable. For flooding, add a few drops of water at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency.
- Divide the icing into small bowls and mix in gel food coloring to achieve your desired shades.
- Transfer the icing to piping bags and snip the tips to your preferred size. Start by outlining the cookies with thick icing, then flood the centers with the thinner icing.
- Use a toothpick to smooth out the icing or create intricate designs.
- Allow the icing to set fully, preferably overnight, before stacking or storing the cookies to ensure a firm and smudge-free finish.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
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Dana is the lead recipe developer and photographer for PopularRecipes.com. With her 10+ years of experience creating, testing, and photographing recipes, she has become an artist in developing wholesome, family-friendly meals that are a hit with both kids and parents.








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