Updated
I’ve stopped buying cookies at the store and started making these chocolate butter cookies at home. Full of flavor from the cocoa powder, espresso, sea salt, and brown sugar, I can never go wrong having a batch of these delicious cookies on hand.
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“They are the best cookies I’ve ever made, and I’m a big baker.
My husband only eats snickerdoodles, but he can’t stop eating these.
Thank you.” -Susan
Homemade Chocolate Butter Cookies Recipe
I just love the combination of chocolate and coffee, so these are my ideal cookies. I like to make them for the holidays, birthdays, or just-because days. Other than the espresso powder, they use pantry staples, so I can easily whip up a batch when the chocolate craving hits.
When I’m in the mood to fancy them up, I’ll use a cookie cutter to shape the cookies into fun and interesting shapes for the holidays or special occasions. Or, sprinkle them with holiday-themed toppings. Sometimes, I’ll even throw in ½ cup mini of chocolate chips so they are even more chocolatey.
Chocolate Butter Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Stand Mixer
- 3 Baking Sheets
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter 283g, room temperature (2½ sticks)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1 cup brown sugar 213g
- 2 large eggs 100g, room temperature
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 12g
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 63g
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g
- 1¼ tsp baking soda 8g
- 1½ tsp espresso powder 4g
- 1 tsp kosher salt 3g
- ¾ tsp coarse sea salt
- colorful nonpareils sprinkles optional, for topping
Video
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars together on medium-low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute.1¼ cups unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa, flour, baking soda, espresso powder, and both salts together.¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1¼ tsp baking soda, 1½ tsp espresso powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, ¾ tsp coarse sea salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until no dry flour can be seen.
- Cover a clean work surface with plastic wrap. Roll half of the dough (it will be somewhat sticky) into a log about 10-12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Use the plastic wrap to help form the log. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
- Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to bake, set oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough logs into ½ inch thick rounds and place onto prepared baking sheets, 3 inches apart.
- Liberally sprinkle each dough circle with nonpareils (if desired), pressing lightly to make sure the sprinkles adhere to the dough.colorful nonpareils sprinkles
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until cookies are just set around the edges.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack to completely cool.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Chocolate Butter Cookies Step by Step
Cream the butter and sugar: Cream 1¼ cups butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar on medium-low speed in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. It usually takes me about 2 minutes to get the mixture smooth.
Add 2 eggs and 1 tbsp vanilla and mix until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1¼ tsp baking soda, 1½ tsp espresso powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, and ¾ tsp coarse sea salt.
Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until no dry flour can be seen in the batter.
Roll the dough: Cover a clean work surface with plastic wrap. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a log about 10-12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Use the plastic wrap to help form the log.
Refrigerate: Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 hours.
When ready to bake, set the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice the dough: Slice the dough logs into ½ inch thick rounds and place onto the prepared baking sheets, 3 inches apart.
Sprinkle with nonpareils: Liberally sprinkle each dough circle with nonpareils or your favorite sprinkles, pressing lightly to make sure they adhere to the dough.
Bake: Bake for 10 minutes, or until cookies are just set around the edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to completely cool.
Serve: Serve the cooled cookies and enjoy.
How to Store
Store leftover chocolate butter cookies in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for 3-4 days. They also freeze very well, just wrap them tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the kitchen counter until ready to eat.
Serving Suggestions
These chocolate butter cookies make the perfect addition to my holiday cookie platter. For more festive options, I like to make Hershey kiss cookies, our beautiful marbled Christmas butter cookies, and, of course, Christmas cut cookies, as they really bring the festive season to life.
I only have kosher salt and regular iodized Mortons salt. Why the 2 salts? I don’t have coarse sea salt. Can I substitute regular salt or use all kosher salt. I’ve never used so much salt in a cookie recipe.
Hi Susana, we’ve only tested the recipe with the sea salt and kosher salt.
Haven’t tried yet but wonder about the necessity of placing the cookies 3″ apart. Want to try these but don’t want to bake many, many batches. Would 1″ separation work?
Hi Sam, these cookies tend to spread quite a bit, hence the 3-inch separation. We recommend baking a test batch as stated, then reassessing the spacing based on how the cookies spread in that batch!
Thank you! Sounds reasonable.
Will a flax egg work? My son has an egg allergy.
We’ve not tried it, but it should work!
Easy to make and wonderful chocolaty!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Debbie!
They are the best cookie I ever made and I’m a big baker.
My husband only eats snicker doodles, but he can’t stop eating these.
Thank you.
Sounds like he may have a new favorite!
Can I scoop the cookies instead of using the roll method
You can give it a shot!
I can’t find espresso powder will they still be good without??
It won’t be as rich, but still good!
Your recipe is confusing… you say 2.5 sticks, but then say 1.5 cups butter. Which is it? Thank you.
1.25 cups, 2.5 sticks!
Could you please tell me in grams the amount of butter. No one outside of north America even uses cups or ‘sticks’ as a measure. TIA 🙂
Thankfully there are plenty of resources you can use to convert the recipe to your desired measurement system on the internet. I am based in the US as are a majority of my viewers!
Well.. I for one will hit “unfollow” now.. had been following for a while on Instagram because you have interesting recipes, but with two little children I do not have time to convert recipes before I use them.
Conversion are indeed easy to find online. Here is one:
Good bakers use metric, even in the US. It just shows that you really are a rookie. I’m going to try this recipe but I’m not expecting perfection. It would be nice if you weighed and offered the more ‘rookie’ measurements. It’s not just converting. People scoop their flour, some fill with a spoon, some might pack it in. But weighing the grams won’t ever change. Anyone around the world can then reproduce your recipe accurately barring quality, humidity, etc.
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Hi all, we have been in the process of updating my recipes to include gram measurements! We hope this helps!
I am a good baker from the US and never use metric, I use cups, as do thousands of others, please stop shaming someone for using the measurements they were taught, which also work well for them and thousands of other bakers.
Anyone who has ever baked knows you would never pack flour when measuring, that’s absurd. Only brown sugar is packed. If you don’t have time to convert you don’t have time to bake and wash dishes. Do your self a favor print the conversion chart and tape it inside your cabinet for future use. That way you won’t be shaming someone for your lack of time or knowledge. Best wishes