Chocolate Sugar Cut Out Cookies

These extra rich, chocolate cookies are the perfect roll out recipe to use with your cutters when you need a step up from my basic sugar cookies. The key is using the right kind of cocoa and the best part? NO Chilling Required. #winning in my book!

Since I brought up cocoa, just a quick note. Before starting this recipe, I did tons of research on the best cocoa to use. Everyone has an opinion of course. I settled on a generic version of Dutch Cocoa from Kroger's and to be honest, it was amazing. So I would recommend not spending tons of time or money buying the most expensive cocoa just to make cookies. Use a high quality Dutch cocoa versus the normal Hershey's cocoa tub and you will be pleasantly surprised.

This is what your dough will look like after your finish adding in all the ingredients, super soft but not sticky, chocolatey mess. One secret? I couldn't stop eating the extra batter off the paddle...and I don't eat raw cookie dough normally. MMMMMMMM!!

See how amazing these turned out and I didn't put the dough in the refrigerator. At all. Not even 5 minutes. Right from my mixer to my silicone rolling mat to the pan. It was so much quicker than other chocolate rolled recipes I have tried and believe me, I have tried MANY.

While I wish this was completely my recipe, it isn't. Normally I even modify every recipe, tweaking something here or there. Not this one. It's so perfect there isn't anything I would change. Georganne nails this one and I'm delighted to share this find with you. If you haven't found her Lila Loa website yet, you need to go now. She has tons of tips for color palettes and delicious recipes. She just spoke at #CookieCon2020 and I wish I had been there. Next year.

This recipe is completely from her and you can either scroll down below to get it quickly or go to her recipe for additional tips from her by this link.

I'm still learning to decorate cookies with my royal icing recipe (which tastes amazing and you can find it here), but I keep going. The biggest thing I've learned so far? Stop comparing mine to all the professional, beautiful cookies. I'm new and they have been at it for years. I'm not going to be so hard on myself. Happy Easter everyone!

Instructions:

• 1 cup slightly softened unsalted butter (not quite room temperature)

• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch processed cocoa is my favorite!)

• 3 or 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F or 190° C. Line baking sheets with silicone baking sheets or parchment paper.

2. Cream butter, shortening and sugar together.

3. Add eggs, vanilla, baking powder and salt and mix well.

4. Stir in the cocoa until well blended.

5. Add flour and mix until the flour is completely incorporated and the dough holds together in a ball. IF YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE COOKIES RIGHT AWAY, ADD 3 1/2 cups (490 grams) flour. If you are going to "chill" the dough overnight, or just wait for another day to make your cookies, STOP AT 3 cups (420 grams). It will be totally soft and look all wrong, and you will want to ignore me completely and add more flour, but I'm telling you -- DON'T DO IT. Practice self-restraint. You will be glad you did, and I will be proud of you.

6. Roll out on lightly floured surface. Bake at 375° F/190° C for 7-10 minutes. (I roll my cookies 1/4" thick and bake 3 inch cookies for 7 minutes.)

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