These chocolate butter cookies are the cocoa-kissed model of my traditional home made butter cookies. They’re each bit as tender and buttery, and completely soften in your mouth. Use a big piping tip to pipe the dough into swirly designs. They’re scrumptious and delightful plain, however be at liberty to jazz them up with sprinkles, a dip in melted chocolate, or a cherry within the middle for a festive contact!
Like a very good superhero film, you don’t need to know a lot concerning the unique butter cookies recipe to take pleasure in this standalone sequel: chocolate butter cookies. 😉 This darker (however not in a villainous method!) model is simply as buttery and melt-in-your-mouth tender, however with the addition of unbelievable chocolate taste.
These Chocolate Butter Cookies Are:
This cookie dough comes collectively simply with solely 9 elements. You want an electrical mixer for the dough, plus a piping bag and enormous piping tip (I exploit this one) to pipe the cookie dough.
Substances in Chocolate Butter Cookies
It is a 1-bowl cookie recipe. The dough is much like my spritz cookies, however with a bit milk to make it pipe-able.
- Butter: Can’t make chocolate butter cookies with out it! Be certain it’s correctly softened to room temperature earlier than starting.
- Sugar: Like many cookie recipes together with these shortbread cookies, creamed butter and sugar is the bottom of right now’s dough.
- Egg: 1 egg provides construction and binds every part collectively.
- Vanilla Extract: Even chocolate wants vanilla!
- All-Goal Flour: All-purpose flour offers the construction.
- Cocoa Powder: Our *Darkish Knight* hero that turns butter cookies into chocolate butter cookies. As a result of there’s no leavening occurring in these cookies, you should use both pure OR Dutch-process cocoa powder right here. (Learn extra concerning the distinction right here.)
- Salt: By offsetting the sugar, salt provides taste.
- Milk: We’d like simply sufficient milk (any variety) to barely skinny out this cookie dough so it may possibly squeeze by means of the piping tip. You’ll heat up the milk and dissolve the espresso powder in it earlier than including the combination to the dough.
- Espresso Powder: This is similar magic ingredient we use for chocolate cake. The cookies don’t style like espresso; fairly, the espresso powder enhances the chocolate taste.
FAQ: Ought to I Line the Cookie Sheet? Some swear by utilizing an unlined, naked baking sheet to bake butter cookies, however I’ve examined these chocolate butter cookies each with and with out lining, and there was no noticeable distinction. (I exploit silicone baking mats for all my cookies and these aren’t any totally different.) For those who select to not line the pan, don’t grease it both. The cookies will unfold, as all cookies do, however they need to preserve a few of their piped form.
How you can Pipe Butter Cookies
I discover it’s best to stay with easy designs like a swirl, and even only a line.
SUCCESS TIP: The dough may be very thick and stiff, so the primary few cookies you pipe would be the hardest. Don’t surrender! It will get simpler as you go alongside, as you deal with the piping bag and the dough turns into extra malleable.
SUCCESS TIP: Begin small. Start by putting just a bit little bit of dough within the piping bag so you may decide if it’s creamy sufficient to pipe. If it’s too thick, it’s not possible to pipe, and also you’ll need to put the dough again within the bowl and add a bit extra milk. Doing a check with a small quantity of dough is loads simpler than filling the entire piping bag after which having to switch all of it again out once more!
Finest Piping Tricks to Use
The cookie dough is thick, so it’s crucial to make use of a big piping tip with a few 1/2-inch opening. (That’s large!) The smaller the scale, the tougher will probably be to pipe. I extremely advocate an open star piping tip, however I really use Ateco 849 which is a closed star tip. The opening is so giant that it nonetheless works splendidly!
The favored Wilton 1M works too, however you could want so as to add extra milk to the cookie dough to skinny it out as a result of this piping tip is smaller. Bear in mind, the extra milk you add, the longer you should chill the formed cookies, or else they’ll over-spread within the oven.
Don’t overlook your piping luggage, too! (Disposable or Reusable)
By the best way, these piping ideas and a set of luggage can be an ideal vacation present for any baker. I all the time embody them in my Vacation Baking Reward Information!
One other Success Tip: Chill the Formed Cookies Earlier than Baking
No matter design you pipe, I extremely advocate chilling the piped cookies on the baking sheet for an hour earlier than baking. With out this chill time, the cookies will lose their piped form. We’d like the dough to be tender sufficient to pipe, however then that tender dough would unfold method an excessive amount of within the oven, so we have to chill the cookies earlier than baking to agency them up a bit.
I promise it’s price it.
Refrigerate the formed cookies for a minimum of 1 hour, and as much as 1 day. (If chilling for longer than 1 hour, cowl them.) If you should velocity issues alongside, you can begin chilling them within the fridge for 20 minutes; at that time they are going to be stable sufficient which you could choose them up and switch them to a smaller plate (if freezer house is a matter) and freeze them for one more 20–half-hour.
Some Adorning Choices
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar or festive sprinkles earlier than baking.
- Place a maraschino cherry within the middle of every cookie earlier than baking.
- Dollop 1/2 teaspoon raspberry (or different taste) jam into the middle earlier than baking.
- Dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate, add sprinkles, and let set.
- Dip cooled cookies in melted white chocolate, add crushed sweet canes, and let set.
The fridge will assist set the chocolate dip shortly.
Sally’s Cookie Palooza
This recipe is a part of my annual cookie countdown known as Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the largest, most scrumptious occasion of the yr! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza web page together with:
and listed below are 75+ Christmas cookies with all my greatest success guides & ideas.
Piped Chocolate Butter Cookies
Prep Time: half-hour
Prepare dinner Time: 14 minutes
Whole Time: 1 hour, quarter-hour
Yield: 30 cookies
Class: Desserts
Technique: Baking
Delicacies: American
Description
You want simply 9 fundamental elements and a big piping tip to make these melt-in-your-mouth chocolate butter cookies. There’s no leavening, so the feel is much like shortbread cookies. Evaluate recipe Notes earlier than starting, and I strongly advocate chilling the piped cookies for a minimum of 20–half-hour earlier than baking.
Directions
- Learn by means of the recipe and recipe Notes earlier than starting. Make room in your fridge for a baking sheet so the formed cookies can chill for 20–half-hour. With out chilling, the piped cookies will overspread. For those who chill the dough previous to shaping, the dough might be too chilly/stiff to pipe.
- Line 2–3 giant baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, or go away unlined. If unlined, don’t grease the pan.
- In a big bowl, utilizing a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high velocity till very tender and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add granulated sugar to the butter, and beat collectively on medium-high velocity till clean and creamed, one other 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat on excessive velocity till mixed, about 1 minute. Scrape down the perimeters and up the underside of the bowl and beat once more as wanted to mix.
- On low velocity, beat within the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Flip as much as excessive velocity and beat till utterly mixed.
- Heat the milk to about 150°F (66°C)—about 20 seconds within the microwave—then combine within the espresso powder till it dissolves. Add the nice and cozy espresso-milk combination to the dough, and beat on medium velocity. You desire a dough that’s creamy and pipe-able (however nonetheless thick), so you could want one other 1/2 Tablespoon of milk. (Tip: The extra milk you add, the extra the cookies will unfold, so chilling in step 7 is crucial. I like to recommend holding the quantity of milk small and utilizing a big sufficient piping tip, like those I recommend within the publish above.)
- Add your giant piping tip to the piping bag. Spoon a bit little bit of dough into the piping bag and pipe a 1- to 2-inch swirl or line on the ready baking sheet. The explanation I recommend solely a bit little bit of dough to begin is as a result of the dough should be too thick to pipe. If it’s too thick, switch that dough again to the blending bowl and add one other 1/2 Tablespoon of milk. If the dough is creamy sufficient to pipe, proceed piping the dough in 1- to 2-inch swirls or traces, 3 inches aside on the baking sheet. If desired, place a maraschino cherry within the middle of the swirl or sprinkle the dough with sprinkles and/or coarse sugar. (Tip: For the reason that dough may be very thick and stiff, so the primary few cookies you pipe would be the hardest. Don’t surrender! It will get simpler as you go alongside, as you deal with the piping bag and the dough turns into extra malleable.)
- Switch the baking sheet to the fridge and chill the formed cookies for 20–half-hour.
- In the meantime, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Bake the chilled cookies for 12–quarter-hour or till the sides appear set. The cookies will unfold like all cookies do, however not utterly lose their form, particularly in the event you refrigerated the formed cookies. If the cookies are smaller, they’ll take nearer to 12 minutes.
- Take away from the oven and permit to chill on the baking sheet for five minutes earlier than transferring to a wire rack to chill utterly.
- Elective Chocolate: You’ll be able to soften the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. If utilizing the microwave: place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Soften in 20-second increments within the microwave, stirring after every increment till utterly melted and clean. Dip the cookies in chocolate and prime with sprinkles, if desired. Permit the chocolate to set utterly at room temperature for about 1 hour or within the fridge for 20 minutes. As soon as set, you may stack, retailer, transport, and present the cookies.
- Cookies with chocolate or cherries keep recent in an hermetic container at room temperature for 4 days or within the fridge for as much as 1 week. Cookies with out chocolate or cherries keep recent in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 1 week.
Notes
- Make Forward Directions: You’ll be able to chill the formed cookies on the baking sheet within the fridge for as much as 1 day earlier than baking. If chilling for longer than half-hour, cowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Typically I pipe all of the swirls shut collectively on 1 baking sheet, then refrigerate. (Since my fridge can’t match 2–3 baking sheets without delay.) After chilling, the formed dough is chilly, so you should use a flat spatula to choose up the chilly formed dough and organize on 2–3 baking sheets to bake. It’s also possible to freeze the un-baked formed dough for as much as 3 months. Bake the frozen formed dough (no must thaw) for an additional minute or two. Baked cookies, with or with out chocolate/cherries/sprinkles, freeze effectively for as much as 3 months.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Giant Piping Tip (comparable to Ateco 849 (pictured), Wilton 8B, Ateco 826, or Ateco 827) | Cooling Rack | Double Boiler (non-obligatory for melting chocolate)
- Espresso Powder: This deepens the chocolate taste—the cookies don’t style like espresso. I often discover espresso powder within the grocery retailer baking aisle, or you may order it on-line. For those who can’t discover it, you should use on the spot espresso powder as a substitute. Be certain to dissolve it within the heat milk earlier than including to the dough.
- No Piping Tip & Utilizing a Cookie Press: This recipe is much like my spritz cookies the place I exploit a cookie press. For those who don’t have a big piping tip and/otherwise you need to use a cookie press, you should use this dough to make chocolate spritz cookies. Skip the milk, and add the espresso powder once you add the flour. For those who don’t have a cookie press or giant piping tip, snip a 1/2 inch nook off the tip of a plastic bag and pipe traces/flat swirls.
- Can I Roll Out This Dough & Use Cookie Cutters? No, this cookie dough just isn’t excellent for rolling out; the cookies won’t maintain form. As an alternative, attempt these chocolate sugar cookies.
- Elective Melted Chocolate: You’ll be able to soften semi-sweet, darkish, milk, or white chocolate to dip these cookies in. For the most effective outcomes, use a pure “baking chocolate” bar, discovered within the baking aisle. I like Baker’s and Ghirardelli manufacturers. Don’t use chocolate chips, as they include stabilizers stopping them from melting into the correct consistency. After you soften it, if the chocolate is just too thick for dipping, stir in 1 teaspoon of vegetable/canola oil to assist skinny it out.
Key phrases: chocolate butter cookies