Chocolate Slice and Bake Cookies
These homemade chocolate slice and bake cookies are rolled into a log, chilled, and sliced into tender cookies perfect for all sorts of decorations. Easy to make! Great for the holidays! Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, and more.
Servings 48 cookies
Calories 85kcal
Ingredients
- 20 tbsp (2 1/2 sticks, 10 oz) unsalted butter, cool room temperature, divided
- 1/2 cup (2 oz) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cup (11 1/4 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp table salt
Instructions
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the cocoa powder and espresso powder to make a smooth paste. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- In a standing mixer with the flat beater, cream together the remaining butter with the sugar and the butter/cocoa mixture. Mix on high for 3-4 minutes, or until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla. Mix on medium until combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix for 1 minute.
- Stir together the flour and salt.
- Set the mixer to low. Add the flour by thirds (1/3 at a time) and mix each addition until just combined, scraping down the bowl of the mixer before adding the next.
- Once you've added all the flour, take the bowl off the mixer and use a spatula to finish mixing and make sure you have a cohesive dough.
- Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper and then shape the dough into a rough log, about 12 inches long.
- Wrap the parchment paper around the log so that it wraps around the log and covers it completely with some room on both ends.
- Take the top side of the parchment and tuck it in against the log to make a fold. Use a bench scraper to press along the fold and even out the log of the dough into a smooth cylinder.
- Chill the dough until completely firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. (If you are storing the dough in the refrigerator for more than a few hours, put it in a sealed bag.)
- Heat oven to 375F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the cookies 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Then rest the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Notes
- Shaping the dough cylinder: I have photos in the body of the post showing the rough log, shaping the cylinder, and wrapping the ends if my explanation is at all unclear.
- Maintaining the round shape: To keep the bottom of the cylinder from flattening as it chills in the refrigerator, use dry beans. (or rice, lentils, etc.) Put the beans in a container large enough for the cookie dough and then lay the cylinder of dough on top of it. (Dry beans also make excellent pie weights. You can't eat them after, but you can use the same beans over and over again. Just cool and store in a bag.)
- Resting the cookies: They are very tender when you first take them out of the oven. Resting them allows them to firm up so you can move the cookies without breaking them.
- Freezing: The dough can be frozen after you shape it into a log. Wrap the log well and put it into a sealed bag. It can be frozen for up to three months. To bake, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight and then slice and bake as directed.
- Lining the cookies sheets: I don't always line the baking sheets and it's not been a problem for me. To be absolutely sure the cookies won't stick it is best to use parchment paper.
- Recipe Inspiration: Cook's Illustrated Mexican Chocolate Butter Cookies.
Nutrition
Calories: 85kcal