By Becky Hardin
Published Nov 14, 2017
Chocolate Sugar Cookies are my go-to easy cookie recipe! This Fluffy Sugar Cookie Recipe has a crinkly sugar crust and has added chocolate chunks for ultimate decadence. We’re using Crisco to make them extra fluffy and fool-proof! You haven’t lived until you’ve tried these Chocolate Sugar Cookies!
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
These Chocolate Sugar Cookies have me dreaming of the holidays. I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but I already have CHRISTMAS COOKIES on the brain! I have a favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe that we have used time and time again, but this Double Chocolate version has quickly become the NEW favorite. Chocolate makes everything a little better, right?
There’s just never enough time to eat all the sweet treats during the holiday season , and for a food blogger and major foodie there is no better time of year. I feel like I’ve conquered many things in the kitchen, but baking still seems a little bit scary from time to time.
I love learning new tricks to make baking a breeze and create delicious recipes that people crave time and time again. I learned how to make this FLUFFY sugar cookies recipe, and it has changed the game!
These incredible DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES are my new obsession and I may or may not be making them every week up until Christmas (and most likely even in January. My New Year’s Resolutions don’t stand a chance!).
Cookies with Crisco vs Butter
Bakers already know that Crisco helps to create the ultimate baked goods. Using Crisco results in thick, yet lightly textured cookies with almost zero spread in the oven. You can trust where you place them is where they’ll end up, and I love that. Just perfect for someone still learning like me, because you know I’ve had so many batches in the past all meld into one giant pan cookie.
You can see the differences in cookies with Crisco vs butter below (we used Crisco on the left, and just butter on the right). It’s pretty amazing!
These Chocolate Sugar Cookies have such an incredible texture and flavor, I cannot wait for you to try them at home. There’s a place for all butter sugar cookies (I think they work great for cut out cookies!) but this Fluffy Sugar Cookie Recipe is perfect as is. We love Crisco Cookies!
Tips for the Best Chocolate Sugar Cookies
My best tip for making your Chocolate Sugar Cookies extra pretty and perfect for handing out to friends and family? Add some chocolate chunks! Lay them on top as soon as they come out of the oven (while they’re still warm and not quite set). It makes them look finished, polished, and adds that extra punch of chocolate. You know I can never say no to more chocolate, and why should I? These are to die for! Be sure to serve them up with a big glass of milk to wash them down. Yum!
How to Make Fluffy Sugar Cookies
To recap, using Crisco (shortening) in place of butter in your fave holiday baked goods results in a light and fluffy texture that just can’t be beat. Plus your cookies will have less spread in the oven, which is just an added bonus! You can almost always sub in Crisco 1:1 for butter in your recipes, and it’s SO EASY. 50% less saturated fat than butter. Say what?! Yep. Get on it friends! This is my new baking secret! It worked perfectly for these chocolate sugar cookies.
Holiday Cookies
If you haven’t tried Chocolate Sugar Cookies, today is the day!
We just simply can’t get enough of these Chocolate Sugar Cookies. If cocoa isn’t your thing (what?!) be sure to check out our Christmas Sugar Cookies , Strawberry Cookies , S’mores Cookies , Orange Cranberry Shortbread Cookies , or Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie s! Baking made easy, I promise!
See the recipe card below for details on How to Make Chocolate Sugar Cookies. Enjoy!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 grams
- ▢ ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 42 grams
- ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ 1 cup Crisco shortening 184 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- ▢ 1¾ cups granulated sugar 350 grams
- ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ▢ 1 large egg 50 grams, room temperature
- ▢ 1 cup milk chocolate chunks 170 grams, plus more for garnish
- ▢ 1 cup coarse turbinado sugar 200 grams
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt). Be sure it is fully combined. Set aside. 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the Crisco and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 1 cup Crisco shortening, 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- Add in the vanilla and egg and continue to beat on medium-high speed until fully combined and fluffy. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- Switch the mixer to medium-low speed and slowly add in the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, allowing it to become smooth before adding more. Once all the flour mixture is added, add in the chocolate chunks and beat on low until they’re fully incorporated. 1 cup milk chocolate chunks
- Pour the turbinado sugar into a medium sized bowl. 1 cup coarse turbinado sugar
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll all sides in the turbinado sugar. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough, with 2 inches between each cookie. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each cookie to your liking. Don’t make them too flat, you want them about ½-inch thick.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the top puffs up slightly and begins to crack.
- Remove from the oven and add more chocolate chunks to the top as shown if desired. Allow to cool on a cooling rack fully before serving.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Baking Sheet
- Stand Mixer
Becky’s Tips
- Using Crisco (shortening) in place of butter results in a light and fluffy texture that just can’t be beat.
- Your cookies will have less spread in the oven, which is just an added bonus!
- You can almost always sub in Crisco 1:1 for butter in your recipes, and it’s SO EASY. 50% less saturated fat than butter.
- You can use regular granulated sugar if you can’t find turbinado.
- Add some chocolate chunks! Lay them on top as soon as they come out of the oven (while they’re still warm and not quite set). It makes them look finished, polished, and adds that extra punch of chocolate.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Baking Sheet
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 210 grams
- ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 42 grams
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup Crisco shortening 184 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar 350 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 1 large egg 50 grams, room temperature
- 1 cup milk chocolate chunks 170 grams, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup coarse turbinado sugar 200 grams
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt). Be sure it is fully combined. Set aside. 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the Crisco and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 1 cup Crisco shortening, 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- Add in the vanilla and egg and continue to beat on medium-high speed until fully combined and fluffy. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 large egg
- Switch the mixer to medium-low speed and slowly add in the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, allowing it to become smooth before adding more. Once all the flour mixture is added, add in the chocolate chunks and beat on low until they’re fully incorporated. 1 cup milk chocolate chunks
- Pour the turbinado sugar into a medium sized bowl. 1 cup coarse turbinado sugar
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and roll all sides in the turbinado sugar. Place on a baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the dough, with 2 inches between each cookie. Use the bottom of a glass to flatten each cookie to your liking. Don’t make them too flat, you want them about ½-inch thick.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the top puffs up slightly and begins to crack.
- Remove from the oven and add more chocolate chunks to the top as shown if desired. Allow to cool on a cooling rack fully before serving.
Notes
- Using Crisco (shortening) in place of butter results in a light and fluffy texture that just can’t be beat.
- Your cookies will have less spread in the oven, which is just an added bonus!
- You can almost always sub in Crisco 1:1 for butter in your recipes, and it’s SO EASY. 50% less saturated fat than butter.
- You can use regular granulated sugar if you can’t find turbinado.
- Add some chocolate chunks! Lay them on top as soon as they come out of the oven (while they’re still warm and not quite set). It makes them look finished, polished, and adds that extra punch of chocolate.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
