Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Um, hello! Why did I never think to make CHOCOLATE sugar cookies?! This recipe has changed my life. I frosted them with strawberry cream cheese frosting. The only complaint is how small of a yield. I doubled the recipe, but next time I will definitely quadruple, at least!  You can find the original recipe here.  I did not make the marble royal icing.  I actually used some leftover strawberry cream cheese fruit dip I had left over and told everyone it was frosting.  It was really yummy!!  I made these last year for a Valentine's Day treat, hence the heart shapes.

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

6 tbsp. (3 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

¾ cup confectioners' sugar

1 large egg

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; whisk to blend and set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Blend in the egg and vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated and no streaks remain.  Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1-2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness.  Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters and place cut outs on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes, just until set.  Let cool on the baking sheet about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Decorate as desired.