These Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy chocolate sugar cookies that are loaded with melted mini chocolate chips! They're a rich and decadent take on my Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies with double the chocolate! With only a 30 min chill time, this is a quick and easy dessert for chocolate lovers anytime! If that wasn't enough, they're gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be vegan!
If you love sugar cookies and chocolate, these chocolate sugar cookies are for you! The richness of the chocolate pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the sugar cookie, creating a perfect match! They get their darkness thanks to us using two types of cocoa powders just like in my Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies and in my Orange Chocolate Cookies!
The first day these cookies are soft and chewy in the middle with crisp edges. Once stored in an airtight container, the cookies are soft throughout. For crunchier sugar cookies, check out my Crispy Sugar Cookies.
If you're looking for more sugar cookie recipes try my super popular Strawberry Sugar Cookies, my Sprinkle Sugar Cookies, Blueberry Sugar Cookies and Sugar Cookies with Chocolate.
Reasons to Love these Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft, Chewy & Gooey Inside- The cookies are soft, thick, chewy and oozing with gooey chocolate inside!
- Covered in Sugar- The sugar coating gives a nice sweetness which pairs with the richness of the chocolate!
- Mini Chocolate Chips- These cookies are loaded and topped with allergy friendly mini chips!
- Double The Chocolate- These cookies have a chocolate cookie base and chocolate chips!
- Dark Chocolate- These cookies are super dark thanks to using two different types of cocoa powders!
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and stay together.
- Cocoa Powders- I like to use two types to give the cookies a dark color, but if you only want to use one, use Dutch or Natural Unsweetened. Do not only use Dark.
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Only use room temperature. If you use melted, the cookies will spread too much while baking. If using vegan butter, make sure it's more on the cold side versus room temperature.
- Dark Brown Sugar- Using dark brown gives the cookies the softness we need to offset the dryness from the cocoa powders and lack of eggs.
- Cornstarch and Water- These are eggless cookies so this mixture helps bind everything together like in my Chocolate Blossom Cookies.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- Pure Vanilla Extract- Make sure the vanilla you use is pure and gf or the cookies will have a chemical taste.
- Mini Chocolate Chips- To keep vegan, make sure to use gluten free/vegan chocolate chips. I love these allergy friendly chocolate chips.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make these Cookies Vegan
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
- Read the label on your chocolate chips to ensure they're gluten free and vegan.
How to Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ¼ cups packed AP flour (210 grams).
- Make sure to use ½ cup packed cocoa powder (58 grams).
- Use 1 tablespoon milk of choice.
- You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.
Make Smaller Cookies
- Use a small cookie scoop or roll the dough into 1 inch balls.
- Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 12 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make 28 cookies.
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions to make this chocolate sugar cookies recipe!
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cocoa powders, baking powder and kosher salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first. Set aside.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and 1 ½ cups of the dark brown sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Mix in the other Wet Ingredients
Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, the milk and the vanilla into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look chunky and that's totally normal.
Step 5: Add in the Dry Ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and combine again.
Step 6: Fold in the Mini Chocolate Chips
Gently fold in ¾ cup mini chocolate chips using a spatula until combined.
Step 7: Chill the Dough and Preheat the Oven
Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
When the dough halfway done chilling, preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 8: Scoop the Dough
After the 30 minutes of chilling, scoop the dough. I use an ice cream scoop or a large cookie scoop. There should be 14 dough balls.
Step 9: Press Dough in Mini Chocolate Chips and Roll in Sugar
Press the top of each dough ball into the extra ¼ cup mini chocolate chips.
Then roll each dough ball in the ¼ cup of granulated sugar.
It must be in that order or else the mini chocolate chips will not stick to the dough.
Step 10: Bake the Cookies and Cool
Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies on the center rack of the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 14 minutes.
Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I only bake 6 at a time.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe use packed cups or the gram amount.
- Use Room Temperature Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Do not use melted butter. Since these cookies have no eggs, if you use melted butter they will spread into a giant mess while baking. If using vegan butter, I would have it be more on the colder side vs room temperature.
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powder- The combination of Natural Unsweetened and Dark cocoa powders give the cookies a richer flavor and darker color. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know the color of the cookies will not be as dark as mine. Do not use dark alone; it will make your cookies too dry, chalky and bitter.
- Chill the Dough- I know this seems like a step you could skip if you’re in a rush but please don’t. Cookies without eggs spread way more than cookies with eggs. If you don’t chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, the cookies will spread and be flat and thin.
- Wash Your Cookie Scoop- If you noticed the dough is starting to get sticky, wash and dry your cookie scoop halfway through making the dough balls.
- Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape.
Recipe FAQs
Yes.
There is no egg in these cookies to hold everything together when they're heated in the oven.
If you don’t chill the dough, the cookies will spread in the oven into a mess.
Yes! You can make the dough the night before. Keep it shaped in a disc, wrapped in plastic and place in a zip top bag.
If doing this, there is no need to chill it again, prior to baking.
Or you can form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic and freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.
Yes! Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make these cookies a day before!
Unlike most gluten free cookies, they’re actually so soft they stay fresh for several days!
I don’t recommend using granulated sugar.
Eggless cookies tend to become very dry once they are completely cool. The dark brown sugar adds lots of moisture into the cookies that is missing from the lack of eggs.
Once the chocolate cookies have completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
If you want the mini chocolate chips all warm and gooey, heat the cookie in the microwave for a few seconds prior to serving. Be careful not to burn your mouth!
Other Chocolate Cookie Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
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📖 Recipe
Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- ½ cup cocoa powder ( I used ¼ cup natural unsweetened and ¼ cup dark)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar , packed
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips reserve ¼ cup for rolling
- ¼ cup granulated sugar , for rolling
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour, ½ cup cocoa powders, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder and the ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick and 1 ½ cups of the dark brown sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture, the 2 tablespoons milk and the 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look chunky and that's totally normal.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and combine again.
- Gently fold in ¾ cup mini chocolate chips using a spatula until combined.
- Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. When the dough is halfway done chilling, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- After the 30 minutes of chilling, scoop the dough. I use an ice cream scoop or a large cookie scoop. There should be 14 dough balls.
- Push the top of each dough ball into a small bowl of the remaining ¼ cup of mini chocolate chips. The drop the dough ball into the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar and coat completely. It must be in that order or else the mini chocolate chips will not stick to the dough.
- Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies on the center rack of the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 14 minutes. Store extra dough balls in the fridge while the rest are baking if they don't all fit. I only bake 6 at a time.
- Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
PAmin
The cookies turned out great! I used AP flour per Lee's response to another commenter. My boys raved about them!! Will surely make again. Thanks!
Lee
I'm so glad they worked out with the AP flour!!! Thank you!!!
Arielle
These sound delicious! Would potato starch be a good substitute for cornstarch?
Lee
I haven't tried it but I read you would use the same ratio. Simply replace the cornstarch with potato starch or arrow root starch. Still mix with the water. Hope this helps!
Kasie Dailey
These were so good! The crunch on the outside was great but so soft on the inside!
Lee
Thank you!!
Shubhi
I want to know can we use all purpose flour or maida instead of gluten free flour.
Lee
Yes ideally you can use AP flour. I sadly cannot test it due to celiac disease. I would make sure to use 1 1/4 packed cups of flour (210 grams) and I would only use 1 tablespoon of milk. Hope this helps!
Kelly
If we do not have an egg allergy, how many eggs would I use instead of cornstarch? Also we do have dairy allergy what’s your next fave option for another 1:1 gf flour?
Thank you these look delish and can’t wait to make them!
Lee
Sent you an email!
Lisa
I would also like to know what to do if you don't have an egg allergy.
Lee
Hi Lisa! Sent you an email!
Lisa
I have to tell you...MONTHS after making these for my NON GF coworkers and they are STILL begging me to make them again...and I bake/bring in GF treats all the time...and they love them all but these apparently are the BEST!!!
Lee
So glad!!!!
Natasha
These are an absolute hit. I made these and they were finished in one sitting.
Lee
SO glad to hear that! Thank you!
Jess
Hi! I’d also love to know how many eggs to use 🙂 these look amazing
Lee
Hi Jess. Thank you! Sadly due to my son's severe allergy, I cannot test this recipe with eggs and the recipe has a lot of extra moisture added in to make up for the lack of eggs. So, I am unsure as to how it will come out with eggs. If you wanted to try, I would do: packed cups of flour, packed cups of cocoa powder, one egg and no cornstarch water and only 1 tablespoon of milk. Hope it works out!
Steve
I do love sugar cookies, especially with double the chocolate! These don’t disappoint!! Delicious!
Lee
Thank you!