Soft Frosted Chocolate Swig Sugar Cookies
User Reviews
4.7
Soft Frosted Chocolate Swig Sugar Cookies
Description
This recipe for Soft Frosted Chocolate Swig Sugar Cookies blends all-purpose flour with Dutch-process cocoa powder, leavening agents including baking soda, baking powder, and cream of tartar, and salt to create a balanced dough. The dough incorporates softened butter, granulated and powdered sugar, neutral oil, eggs, and sour cream to achieve a moist, tender texture with slight chewiness. Formed into dough balls, they are pressed and coated with granulated sugar before baking at 350°F until set.
After baking, the cookies are frosted with a cocoa buttercream frosting made from butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cream, salt, and vanilla extract. The frosting offers a velvety contrast to the dense but soft cookie base with a more intense chocolate flavor.
The cookies serve well as a sweet treat or dessert, with a soft fudgy bite and chocolatey richness. The recipe balances texture and sweetness carefully, updated over time with small adjustments in oil, sugar, and sour cream for improved results.
Be mindful when measuring flour and cocoa powder to avoid dryness from overpacking. Pressing the cookies with a sugar-dusted glass creates a textured sugar crust. The frosting thickness may be adjusted by varying cream quantity.
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (if you aren't using the weight measure, scoop the flour with a light hand or the cookies will be dry)
- 1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder see note above about the flour; same applies with the cocoa powder, or unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter softened to room temperature, salted
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup neutral-flavored oil canola, vegetable, grapeseed, etc
- 2 egg large
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- granulated sugar for pressing
Frosting:
- ½ cup butter softened, salted
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Pinch salt
- ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder or unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ¼ to ⅓ to ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line several large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- For the cookies, in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and powdered sugar until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add the oil, eggs and sour cream and mix until well-combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Sift the cocoa powder over the top. Mix until the dough comes together and no dry streaks remain.
- Form the dough into balls about 2- to 3- tablespoons each (I use a #20 cookie scoop).
- Place the cookies several inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
- Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a shallow dish. Dip a flat-bottomed glass into the sugar (it helps to rub the bottom of the glass lightly with butter or oil before the first dip so the sugar adheres). Press the glass onto each cookie dough ball, flattening to about 1/4-inch or slightly thicker. Don't press too thin.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes until the cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the center. Don't over bake! They should look slightly underdone in the middle. Let them cool for a few minutes on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar until very light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining powered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Sift the cocoa powder over the top (to avoid tiny lumps in the frosting). Mix for 2-3 minutes until very thick and creamy.
- Spread the frosting evenly on the cookies. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. The cookies are delicious cold or at cool room temperature. They can be made several days in advance and kept (frosted and covered) in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Measure flour and cocoa powder lightly to prevent a dry crumb in cookies.
- Recent recipe updates added sour cream and adjusted oil and sugar amounts for improved texture.
- Dip the pressing glass lightly in butter or oil before sugar dipping to help sugar adhere.
- Adjust frosting cream amount to achieve desired consistency.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 36Cookies (2-3 dozen depending on size)
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Cookie | |
| Calories | 237kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 32mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 127mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 16g | 32% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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