These Sugar Cookies with Chocolate have a soft and chewy cookie base, covered in red sugar and topped with a dark chocolate heart. Best part is, they’re gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily dairy free (vegan).
I do love sugar cookies but they have a tendency to be on the drier side.
I am not a fan of biting into a cookie and wondering if my tooth is still intact.
These sugar cookies with chocolate, while being gluten free and without eggs, are so soft and chewy even days later!
For more sugar cookie recipes, try Double Chocolate Kiss Cookies, Frosted Red Velvet Cookies, Pumpkin Sugar Cookies and Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cookies.
REASONS TO LOVE THESE COOKIES
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan).
- Quick chill time- The dough only needs 30 min to chill in the fridge!
- Soft & chewy- These cookies are the most perfect texture.
- Covered in sugar- The sugar coating gives a nice contrast to the soft inside.
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 one because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy.
- Milk of Choice- 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.
- Granulated Sugar- It gives the sugar cookies that classic taste and sweetness.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Use ½ cup (1 stick) softened. Don’t use melted; the cookies will spread.
- Cornstarch and Water- These cookies have no egg so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Baking Powder- Since this recipe doesn’t contain an acidic ingredient, we use baking powder vs baking soda.
- Pure Vanilla Extract- Make sure the vanilla you use is pure and gf.
- Kosher Salt- I love to use kosher because it really enhances the cookies flavors but you could use table salt.
- Rolling Sugar- You could use regular granulated sugar instead of the red sugar.
- Chocolate Hearts- Using dark chocolate helps offset the sweetness of the cookie.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
USE SOFTENED BUTTER
Using butter that’s softened is great when making these cookies.
However, make sure you DO NOT melt the butter.
These cookies have no egg in them and already have a tendency to want to spread out when baking.
If you use melted butter, the cookies will be a giant mess.
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.
PLACING THE CHOCOLATE HEARTS
This part can be a bit tricky.
The hot cookies will begin to melt the heart right away.
Make sure all your chocolate hearts are unwrapped before you take the cookies out of the oven.
Also, have a small tray lined with parchment paper prior to the cookies coming out of the oven. This tray will go into the freezer.
When the cookies come out, immediately and gently press a chocolate heart onto each cookie.
You don’t have to press down hard, the heat will immediately begin to melt the chocolate.
Immediately transfer the cookies with chocolate to the lined baking sheet and pop them into the freezer for about 15 minutes.
This will stop the melting process.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS WITH PICTURES
Here are the steps to make these super simple cookies!
STEP 1: BEAT THE BUTTER/VEGAN BAKING STICK AND SUGAR
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
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.
STEP 3: MIX THE WET INGREDIENTS
Slowly beat the cornstarch water mixture and other wet ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar. It will look chunky.
STEP 4: WHISK TOGETHER DRY INGREDIENTS
In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients.
STEP 5: BEAT IN DRY INGREDIENTS
Slowly beat in the dry ingredients until just combined.
STEP 6: CHILL THE DOUGH
Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 min.
STEP 7: SCOOP THE DOUGH
I use a small cookie scoop. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, roll dough into 1 inch balls.
STEP 8: ROLL IN SUGAR
Roll each dough ball in the red sugar or more granulated sugar.
STEP 9: BAKE THE COOKIES
Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 minutes.
STEP 10: PRESS THE CHOCOLATE HEARTS
Immediately press a chocolate heart into the center of each cookie. See baking tips above for more info.
STEP 11: FREEZE THE COOKIES
Immediately freeze the cookies for 15 minutes to prevent the chocolate hearts from melting.
HOW TO MAKE THESE COOKIES VEGAN
Follow these simple steps to make sure these cookies are vegan:
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
- Read the label on your chocolate hearts to ensure they’re gluten free, nut free and vegan.
FAQ
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.
The heat of the cookie will melt the heart immediately into a blob.
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!
Absolutely!
Just swap out the red sugar for regular granulated sugar.
No you don’t!
Any small chocolate square that’s about 1 inch would work!
Or if you just want a sugar cookie, don’t use any chocolate at all!
As soon as they come out of the oven, take a large circle cookie cutter, place it over the cookies and rotate quickly in a circle.
This will reshape the cookie into a nice circle.
STORING AND FREEZING
STORING
Since gluten free baked goods are best the first day, we want to try to keep these sugar cookies with chocolate as fresh as possible.
Once the cookies have cooled and the chocolate hardened, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
If you want the chocolate gooey when ready to eat, I would warm them up for a few seconds in the microwave.
FREEZING
You can freeze the dough for up to one month.
Wrap the dough disc in plastic wrap and then place in a zip top bag.
Freeze for up to 30 days.
When ready to use, place dough in the fridge the night before.
Other Cookie Recipes To Try
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Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare if you make my recipes and follow along on Pinterest! Enjoy!!!
Sugar Cookies with Chocolate
Ingredients
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter or vegan baking stick
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water heaping
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk of choice
- 1 ¾ cup gluten free flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup red sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand held mixer, beat the softened butter or vegan baking stick and the granulated sugar until soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- 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.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat in the cornstarch water mixture. Then beat in the vanilla and milk. The mixture might look slightly chunky and that’s ok.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, the baking powder and the kosher salt.
- Still on low speed, beat the gluten free flour mixture into the wet ingredients, a little at a time until just combined.
- Once combined, scrape down the sides of the bowl using a spatula.
- Shape the dough into a disc, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Take the dough out of the fridge. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough out. If you don't have a cookie scoop, roll the dough into 1 inch balls.
- Drop each dough ball into a small bowl of the red sugar and coat completely.
- I only put about 12 cookies on the tray at a time. Make sure to space them at least 3 inches apart. Put the extra dough back into the fridge in between batches.
- Bake the cookies in the middle rack for 11 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- When the cookies come out of the oven, reshape if needed (see FAQS in blog post) and immediately gently press a chocolate heart into the center of each cookie.
- Immediately transfer cookies to the other lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes to prevent the heart from melting.
- Once the cookies are frozen for 15 minutes, store in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy!
John
Such a quick and easy way to make gluten free sugar cookies!
Daya
Am I able to use this recipe for plain sugar cookies? Like literally, plain circle cookies? I am so nervous to try!
Lee
Yes! You can but actually if you want to wait a few days I am publishing a sprinkle sugar cookie recipe this week and you can easily make them without sprinkles!