With an unusually soft texture and amazingly rich chocolate flavor, these frosted chocolate Swig sugar cookies are truly a delightful treat. Prepare to be amazed!
These pressed chocolate sugar cookies are not only incredibly easy to prepare – eliminating the need for tedious rolling or cookie cutters – but they will also captivate your taste buds with their uniquely soft, intensely chocolatey texture and rich flavor. Perfect for any occasion, from casual gatherings to elegant dessert tables, these cookies offer a sophisticated twist on a beloved classic.
Indulge in the Ultimate Soft & Frosted Chocolate Swig Sugar Cookies
Welcome to the world of extraordinary chocolate cookies! This recipe unveils the secrets to creating the most delectable frosted chocolate Swig sugar cookies you’ll ever taste. Imagine a cookie that’s so tender it practically melts in your mouth, bursting with deep chocolate notes, and crowned with a silky-smooth, equally chocolatey frosting. These aren’t just cookies; they’re an experience, a symphony of flavors and textures designed to impress even the most discerning palates. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting your culinary journey, our detailed guide will help you achieve perfection with ease.
The Irresistible Allure of Swig Sugar Cookie Dough
If the name “Swig sugar cookies” doesn’t immediately ring a bell, allow us to introduce you to a culinary phenomenon. Originating years ago in a quaint soda and cookie shop in Utah, Swig sugar cookies became famous for their distinctive pressed shape and charmingly rough, crinkly edges. This signature style quickly garnered a devoted following, inspiring a myriad of copycat cookie shops and countless home-baking recipes across the country. The good news? You no longer need to travel to Utah to experience this magic. Creating these Swig-style cookies at home is surprisingly simple, and many enthusiasts claim that homemade versions, especially this chocolate rendition, surpass the originals in flavor and softness.
Our chocolate Swig sugar cookie recipe has been a long-standing favorite, cherished by many for its unique qualities. Recently, we’ve refined it with a few minor adjustments to address feedback regarding occasional crumbliness, ensuring an even more consistently perfect result. These small, thoughtful tweaks have elevated an already fantastic recipe to new heights, making these cookies even better than ever before! For those who are die-hard fans of the original formulation, rest assured, the changes are minimal, and we’ve preserved the original notes below should you wish to stick with the classic version.
Selecting the Best Cocoa Powder for Unrivaled Chocolate Flavor
The secret to the profound chocolate flavor in both our cookie dough and luscious frosting lies in the quality and type of cocoa powder you choose. Understanding the nuances of cocoa powder is key to unlocking the full potential of this recipe. You have two excellent options at your disposal, and either will work beautifully without requiring any other recipe modifications:
- Natural, Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This is the most common type, offering a sharp, slightly bitter chocolate flavor and a reddish-brown hue. It reacts with baking soda to create lift in baked goods.
- Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder: This cocoa has been treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity. The result is a darker, often richer, and milder chocolate flavor. Its non-acidic nature means it typically needs to be paired with baking powder for leavening.
For this specific recipe, using Dutch-process cocoa powder will yield a cookie that is noticeably darker and boasts a deeper, more intense chocolate flavor. While both types are acceptable, Dutch-process will truly amplify the chocolate experience. Regardless of your choice, a crucial step for achieving a smooth, lump-free dough and frosting is to always sift your cocoa powder. This simple action prevents tiny clumps and ensures an even distribution of chocolate throughout your delicious creation.
Achieving the Perfect Texture: Essential Dough Notes for Success
When it comes to Swig sugar cookies, texture is paramount. The dough consistency is the cornerstone of these cookies’ signature softness and those delightful crinkly, ruffled edges. Think of it as the ‘Goldilocks zone’ – not too soft, not too thick, but just right.
- Too soft: A dough that is excessively soft will cause your cookies to spread too much during baking, resulting in thin, flat, and potentially crispy cookies instead of the desired thick and soft ones.
- Too thick: Conversely, a dough that is too thick will lead to cookies that are dry, crumbly, and lack the signature tender chewiness.
The ideal consistency is a dough that is soft and easily scoopable, yet not overly sticky. This perfect balance ensures that the cookies maintain their shape while still developing those characteristic crinkly edges that make Swig cookies so appealing.
To guarantee your dough reaches this perfect consistency, we highly recommend weighing your dry ingredients, particularly flour and cocoa powder, with a kitchen scale. This method provides the most accurate measurements, eliminating guesswork and ensuring consistent results every time. If a kitchen scale isn’t available, meticulous measuring by hand is crucial: fluff your flour and cocoa powder before gently scooping them into your measuring cup and leveling off. Never pack your dry ingredients, as this can lead to an excess amount, making your dough too thick and your cookies dry.
Mastering the Art of Scooping and Pressing Your Cookie Dough
The unique appearance of Swig cookies comes from a simple yet specific technique of scooping and pressing the dough. This method creates their rustic, appealing edges and ensures a uniform thickness, contributing to their signature soft texture. Here’s how to achieve perfection:
- For consistent cookie size, we recommend using a #20 cookie scoop to portion out your dough. This yields balls that are approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons each.
- Once scooped, gently roll each portion of dough into a smooth ball.
- Prepare a shallow bowl with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Lightly grease the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass (a quick rub with butter or oil helps the sugar adhere), then dip the greased bottom into the sugar.
- Carefully place a dough ball onto your prepared baking sheet. Using the sugar-coated glass, press each cookie dough ball down into a thick circle, aiming for about 1/4-inch thick, or slightly thicker. Remember, these cookies are meant to be robust and chewy, not thin and crisp, so press with a gentle hand. This is not the moment to unleash any pent-up frustrations by flattening them into smithereens! The goal is a charmingly rustic, thick disk.
Baking these cookies requires a touch of intuition. You want to slightly underbake them. The edges should appear set and lightly golden, but the center of the cookies should still look a bit soft and perhaps even slightly underdone. This is the precise moment to remove them from the oven! This underbaking technique is crucial for maintaining their incredible softness and chewiness. Allow them to cool on the baking pans for several minutes after removing them from the oven. This brief resting period allows them to set up further before you carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
While your delightful cookies are cooling, it’s the perfect time to whip up the accompanying creamy chocolate frosting. This frosting is a divine complement, adding another layer of rich chocolate flavor and luxurious texture. Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous dollop of this magnificent frosting across the center of each cookie, leaving a thin, elegant border around those beautiful ruffled edges. The contrast between the soft cookie and the smooth, creamy frosting is simply heavenly.
To Sprinkle or Not to Sprinkle: Elevating Your Chocolate Swig Cookies
These delicious frosted chocolate Swig sugar cookies are undeniably phenomenal in their pure, unadorned state, with just the perfect harmony of cookie and frosting. However, for those who appreciate an extra touch of visual appeal and textural contrast, adding sprinkles or other decorative elements can elevate your cookies even further.
While any sprinkles you fancy will work beautifully, we particularly love adding a few crispy chocolate pearls. In the defense of all things crispy chocolate pearls, they possess an almost magical ability to enhance nearly every dessert they grace. And these soft chocolate sugar cookies are certainly no exception! The subtle crunch and added layer of chocolate complexity that these pearls provide create an exquisite contrast against the tender cookie and smooth frosting. We often find the Olive Nation brand on Amazon to be excellent, or you might find them at specialty baking stores like Orson Gygi.
Beyond chocolate pearls, feel free to get creative! A dusting of cocoa powder, a sprinkle of sea salt to enhance the chocolate flavor, or even some festive holiday sprinkles can all add a wonderful personal touch. The beauty of these cookies lies in their versatility, allowing you to customize them to suit any occasion or preference.
Why This Tried-and-True Chocolate Swig Cookie Recipe is a Baker’s Favorite
It’s not just us who are absolutely smitten with these chocolate sugar cookies; they’ve garnered a passionate following among bakers and dessert lovers alike. Their consistent reliability and irresistible flavor make them a staple in many kitchens. Don’t just take our word for it; hear what our enthusiastic readers have to say!
Mary: “So so good. I have another recipe for chocolate sugar cookie cutouts, but I much prefer these thick shortbread type ones! And that frosting is amazing on top!! Thank you thank you for another fantastic recipe!”
Cindy: “These cookies are delicious! Also, they stay equally if not better days later.”
Molly: “There are no words for these cookies. I am going to put them all away right now because I have no self-control with them. Seriously some of the best cookies I’ve ever tasted. Thanks for the unique and delicious recipe!”
Sydney: “These cookies are my all-time favorite cookies! I’ve been making them ever since the recipe was posted, and I make them more often than any other cookie (including chocolate chip!) (Yeah, that’s how good they are!!!) They always turn out and they’re always delicious. I recommend these to anyone and everyone! So thank you for the great recipe!!”
These glowing testimonials speak volumes about the quality and appeal of this recipe. From their superior texture to their lasting freshness, these cookies are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and a truly rewarding baking project.
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Soft Frosted Chocolate Swig Sugar Cookies
Yield: 36 Cookies (2-3 dozen depending on size)
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Rating: 4.69 stars (79 ratings)
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 4 cups (568 g) all-purpose flour (if you aren’t using the weight measure, scoop the flour with a light hand or the cookies will be dry)
- 1 cup (85 g) Dutch-process or unsweetened, natural cocoa powder (see note above about the flour; same applies with the cocoa powder)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (265 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (86 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup neutral-flavored oil (canola, vegetable, grapeseed, etc)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- Granulated sugar, for pressing
Frosting:
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, softened
- 2 cups (228 g) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup (43 g) Dutch-process or unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ¼ to ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line several large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- For the cookies, in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add the oil, eggs, and sour cream and mix until well-combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Sift the cocoa powder over the top. Mix until the dough comes together and no dry streaks remain.
- Form the dough into balls about 2- to 3- tablespoons each (I use a #20 cookie scoop).
- Place the cookies several inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
- Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a shallow dish. Dip a flat-bottomed glass into the sugar (it helps to rub the bottom of the glass lightly with butter or oil before the first dip so the sugar adheres). Press the glass onto each cookie dough ball, flattening to about 1/4-inch or slightly thicker. Don’t press too thin.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes until the cookies are set around the edges but still soft in the center. Don’t overbake! They should look slightly underdone in the middle. Let them cool for a few minutes on the pan before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting, with an electric mixer, cream together the butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar until very light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Sift the cocoa powder over the top (to avoid tiny lumps in the frosting). Mix for 2-3 minutes until very thick and creamy.
- Spread the frosting evenly on the cookies. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. The cookies are delicious cold or at cool room temperature. They can be made several days in advance and kept (frosted and covered) in the refrigerator.
Notes
2016 version: 2/3 cup oil
2023 update: 3/4 cup oil
2016 version: 1 1/4 cups sugar
2023 update: 1 1/2 cups sugar
2016 version: no sour cream
2023 update: 2 tablespoons sour cream (justification behind this is the crazy popularity of this best-ever Swig cookie recipe)
2016 version: 1/2 cup cocoa powder (frosting)
2023 version: 1/3 cup cocoa powder (frosting)
*also edited the method a bit to help the mixing come together better.
Author: Mel
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Bake
Serving: 1 Cookie, Calories: 237kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 127mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 16g
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Recipe Source: adapted from Melissa at The Faux Martha and later from this Swig cookie recipe (recipe originally posted December 2016; updated July 2023 with new photos, recipe notes, etc)
