These chocolate sugar cookies are heaven: super chocolaty, perfectly sweet, and nicely balanced with salt. When they bake, they rise; when they cool, they fall, giving them that beautiful, sugar-crusted crackly surface. Simple and delicious!

Baked, chocolate sugar cookies.

This classic rise-and-fall chocolate sugar cookie recipe comes from Melissa Weller’s A Good Bake, and to me, they are perfection: deeply chocolatey, nicely sweet and salty, and perfectly chewy, thanks to the inclusion of dark brown sugar.

The key to success here? Do not chill the dough balls before baking them. Why? In her book, Melissa notes, “The rise-and-fall process is a result of the baking soda reacting with the cocoa powder and brown sugar before the cookie is set. When the cookies are removed from the oven, they fall, giving them that crackly top. How quickly the cookie rises before it sets up is the key to achieving that finish.” So, to ensure these cookies rise quickly, do not refrigerate the dough balls before baking. 

These cookies are irresistible out of the oven, but I like them even better on subsequent days, so don’t be afraid to make them ahead of time. If you’re looking for a homemade gift for the chocolate-lover in your life, look no further.

PS: Rum Balls: The Best, Easiest, Most Festive Cookie to Make and Gift All Season Long

How to Make Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Here’s the play-by-play: Gather your ingredients.

Ingredients to make chocolate sugar cookies on a work surface.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl:

Dry ingredients in a bowl for chocolate sugar cookies.

Whisk to combine, and set aside:

Dry ingredients for chocolate sugar cookies, whisked together.

Combine brown sugar and butter in a stand mixer:

Butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Beat until fluffy; then add the dry ingredients:

Adding the dry ingredients to the stand mixer.

Mix just until the flour is absorbed:

Chocolate sugar cookie dough all mixed together.

Portion the dough into 2-tablespoon or 50-gram rounds:

Portioned chocolate sugar cookie dough balls.

Then coat liberally in sugar:

Portioned chocolate sugar cookie balls, rolled in sugar.

Bake at 350ºF for 12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet pans before serving:

Baked chocolate sugar cookies on a board.

I find these to be even more delicious on subsequent days, so don’t be afraid to make them ahead of time:

Baked chocolate sugar cookies.
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Baked, chocolate sugar cookies.

Chewy Chocolate Sugar Cookies

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Description

These chocolate sugar cookies are heaven: super chocolaty, perfectly sweet, and nicely balanced with salt. When they bake, they rise; when they cool, they fall, giving them that beautiful, sugar-crusted crackly surface. Simple and delicious!

Notes:

From Melissa Weller’s A Good Bake

As always, for best results, measure with a digital scale.

Salt: The only change I have made here is to add twice the amount of salt: 1 teaspoon (6 g) as opposed to 1/2 teaspoon (3 g). I love a cookie with a good balance of salt and sugar, but I also know I have a high salt tolerance, so please use your judgment when deciding how much to use. I do not find these to be the slightest bit salty when I use 6 grams of salt, and I am even using salted butter (which I use for everything).

Cocoa: Melissa’s preferred brand is Valrhona, which is Dutch-processed, though she says you can use whatever cocoa powder you have on hand. I love Cacao Barry Extra Brute, which is Dutch-processed. 

Scoop/Scale: If you have a 2-tablespoon scoop, that will help when portioning the dough balls. I am uncharacteristically fussy about portioning cookie dough balls, and I always weigh the balls to ensure each is identical. Here, each dough ball should weigh 50 grams.

For best results, don’t chill the dough balls before baking them. Why? In her book, Melissa notes, “The rise-and-fall process is a result of the baking soda reacting with the cocoa powder and brown sugar before the cookie is set. When the cookies are removed from the oven, they fall, giving them that crackle top. How quickly the cookie rises before it sets up is the key to achieving that finish.” So, to ensure these cookies rise quickly, she recommends not refrigerating the dough balls before baking. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (43 g) cocoa powder, see notes above
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) baking soda
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (3 – 6 g) sea salt, see notes above (I use 6 g)
  • 16 tablespoons (226 g) softened butter
  • 1.5 cups (300 g) dark brown sugar
  • 1 egg (50 g)
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
  • granulated sugar for rolling, 1/4 to 1/2 cup (50 to 100 g)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350ºF.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Place the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine the ingredients. Set aside.
  4. Put the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the mixer once or twice, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  5. Turn off the mixer, add the egg and vanilla, and beat until the egg is thoroughly incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until no flour is visible, stopping to scrape down the mixer once during the process.
  7. Pour the granulated sugar into a small bowl. Portion out the dough using a 2-tablespoon scoop or measure or a scale — each portion should weigh 50 grams. You should have about 16 to 18 balls total. Roll each portion between your hands to form a ball; then roll in the sugar — coat each ball as generously as you are able to in the sugar. Transfer 6 balls to the prepared sheet. Bake for 12 minutes; remove from heat and allow cookies to cool completely on the sheet pan. Repeat this process, baking 6 cookies at a time.
  8. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American