• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Susan Brings Dessert
  • All Recipes
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Let’s Collaborate
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Let’s Collaborate
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • All Recipes
    • Home
    • About Me
    • Let’s Collaborate
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Susan Brings Dessert » Recipes » Cookie Recipes

    Black Cocoa Cookies

    Published: Sep 4, 2024 by Susan Gravatt · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    366 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Can a cookie be sexy? 🤔 I’ll let you make that call, but if there is such a thing, these black cocoa cookies would easily top that list. Soft and chewy with an intense chocolate flavor, they're made with the same cocoa powder in Oreos. And if you’re leery of food coloring, set those worries aside. These dark chocolate cookies are all natural, thanks to beautiful black cocoa powder!  

    Overhead shot of black cocoa powder cookies, sitting against a white background and dusted in sanding sugar.
    Jump to:
    • 📋 Key Ingredients
    • Best Results: Baking in Grams
    • No-Chill Dough for these Black Cookies
    • 📖 Prep and Baking Instructions
    • 💡 Pro Tip for Perfectly Round Cookies
    • ❓ Recipe FAQ and Troubleshooting
    • Storing these Black Cocoa Cookies
    • Recipe Variations
    • Tips for the Best Dark Cocoa Cookies 
    • More Fall Recipes
    • Black Cocoa Cookies

    The black color of these cookies makes them perfect for Halloween parties and events. But I would gladly eat these treats any time of year.

    They join the running list of recipes on my site using black cocoa powder. From black frosting to a black velvet cupcake recipe and this black cocoa cake, I really cannot get enough of this dark color in baked goods! 

    And for the fellow Oreo-obsessed people out there (🙋🏻‍♀️), you'll appreciate these coffee Oreo cookies and Funfetti Oreo cookies.

    Last but not least, you should know about my chocolate cookies and cream cookies. They also use black cocoa powder, as well as chopped Oreos and white chocolate!

    📋 Key Ingredients

    Ingredient shot for black cookies.

    The recipe card contains all the steps and ingredients, but below are a few key items that bring flavor and color to this recipe. 

    • Black cocoa powder - It's a deeply rich, almost charcoal-colored cocoa that’s responsible for the signature hue and flavor of an Oreo cookie. Unlike natural cocoa powder, which can have a slightly acidic and bitter taste, this dark cocoa powder is heavily alkalized, a process that neutralizes its acidity and results in a smoother, milder flavor. This makes it perfect for creating intensely dark and chocolatey desserts without the sharpness that can accompany regular cocoa powders.
    • Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste – You don’t need expensive vanilla extract for good flavor. So the extract from your local grocery store is perfectly fine for this recipe. I never taste much difference between pricier extracts and more basic ones.
    • Dark or light brown sugar – This recipe calls for a touch of brown sugar in addition to granulated or white sugar. While both sugars are in important here, the darker one adds more moisture to the dough, resulting in a deliciously soft and chewy inside.
    • Melted butter - Melting butter gives us a really nice and tender cookie texture.

    Best Results: Baking in Grams

    If you’re not already, use a kitchen scale for accuracy in baking.

    While I include cups and grams in my recipe cards, weighing your ingredients and writing or following a recipe using a standard metric like grams ensures consistency.

    I highly recommend investing $30 or less in a kitchen scale.

    No-Chill Dough for these Black Cookies

    Some cookie recipes call for resting your cookie dough before baking it for best results. 

    Here, though, you don’t need to chill or rest the dough ahead of baking these cookies. 

    You can learn more about the merits of resting your dough in this post from Bon Appétit. The bottom line is that if a recipe does ask you to rest your dough, do it. 

    📖 Prep and Baking Instructions

    After melting your butter, let it cool for about 10 minutes while you preheat your oven to 350°F and dive into the steps here.

    Bowl of wet ingredients for making cookies.

    Step 1: Cream Butter, Sugars, and Vanilla. Using a paddle attachment and the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and hand mixer, cream melted unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and sugars together in your bowl for 3-4 minutes.

    Bowl of wet, black cookie dough.

    Step 2: Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Eggs. Stop the hand or electric mixer. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl before adding kosher salt (half as much if using table salt), baking powder, and baking soda as well as half of your eggs, cocoa powder, and flour.

    Bowl of black cookie dough.

    Step 3: Finish Mixing the Dough. Mix for about 45 seconds on medium speed before mixer to add the remaining egg and flour, beating again for 30 seconds. If you plan to use chocolate chips, now is the time to add those.  

    Ball of black cookie dough on a baking sheet.

    Step 4: Shape the Dough. With an ice cream or cookie scoop and your hand, form each round ball of dough. It should be about ⅔ the size of a golf ball. Roll in sanding sugar or sprinkles at this point if you plan to use them.

    Black cookie dough balls spread out on a small baking sheet.

    Step 5: Arrange on Baking Sheet. Place each dough ball onto an ungreased aluminum cookie sheet (no pieces of parchment paper or silicone mats needed), with about 2 inches between them. 

    Baked black cocoa powder cookies sitting on a sheet of white parchment paper.

    Step 6: Bake Cookies. Bake in preheated oven for 13-14 minutes, at which point the edges of the cookies will be done baking. Leave them on the baking sheet 10 or so minutes outside of the oven, or until they're firm enough to handle. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool, and then serve or store.

    💡 Pro Tip for Perfectly Round Cookies

    As soon as your black cocoa cookies exit the oven, you can also help shape and round them if you'd like.

    Use a cookie cutter or even the open side of a glass that's slightly bigger than the cookies to gently slide them into a more circular shape. 

    ❓ Recipe FAQ and Troubleshooting

    How do you keep cookies from spreading?  

    Cookies can spread if the dough is too moist, without enough dry ingredients to hold it together. It can also spread due to an excessive amount of baking soda.

    If you follow the steps in this recipe, though, you won’t have that issue.

    In general, adding a bit of baking powder or flour to a cookie’s dough can help prevent them from spreading as much.

     Should you refrigerate this cookie dough before baking it?  

    If a recipe calls for a chilled sugar cookie, meaning you need to refrigerate the dough before baking it, do it! That step is not part of this recipe, though. 

    Storing these Black Cocoa Cookies

    Room temperature - These black cocoa cookies will stay fresh at room temperature (around 70°F) for about 3 days.

    Refrigerating - Instead of refrigerating them between servings, I'd recommend freezing them. Bring them out in small quantities at a time if you plan to share them over the course of more than 3 days.

    Freezing - They also freeze well for up to three months in an airtight container.

    I add wax or parchment paper between the layers as I stack them.

    To enjoy, let them come to room temperature before serving. You may also gently warm them for a few seconds on low speed in the microwave. 

    Recipe Variations

    These can be perfect Halloween cookies for the fall, but there are so many ways to play around with them.

    Orange, white, and black sprinkles on a black cocoa cookie for Halloween.

    Once you've turned your dough into balls, you can roll them in:

    • Halloween sprinkles
    • Sanding sugar (look how pretty and sparkly this makes them - this sugar coating is my favorite way to dress them up!)
    White sanding sugar coated on black cocoa powder cookies.

    Alternatively, after you've mixed your flour into your large bowl and before you form your dough balls, add ¾ cup of chocolate chips to your bowl. This will give you an extra chocolate flavor.

    Inside look at a black cocoa chocolate chip cookie that's been opened and split in half.

    You could also turn these into cookie sandwiches. The chocolate cookies would pair well with almond frosting between them. You'd end up with 10-12 medium-sized cookie sandwiches.

    Chocolate and raspberry are also companionable flavors (see my raspberry chocolate Bundt cake for proof). Raspberry cream cheese frosting could be a fun option, as would blueberry cream cheese frosting.

    Bottom line: There are lots of ways to use this versatile cookie! And plain is so good, too!

    Want a similar cookie with a twist? Check out these pink sugar cookies or brown butter sugar cookies. They all have nice, chewy insides.  

    Tips for the Best Dark Cocoa Cookies 

    Plain black cookies on a white sheet of parchment paper with no sprinkles or sanding sugar added to them.

    Below are some general tips to keep in mind when baking this cookie recipe and any recipe, really:

    1. Periodically check the freshness of your leavening agents. Mix a pinch of baking powder with hot water to see if it reacts. For baking soda, you can mix a pinch of it with a few drops of something acidic, like vinegar or lemon juice. If your leavening agents have no reaction (i.e. you see no fizzing or bubbling), it means they also won’t help your ingredients rise during the baking process. 
    2. Before diving into the recipe, clear your workspace and set out all your ingredients in front of you. This will make it less likely that you’ll forget to leave something important out of your mixing bowl! 

    More Fall Recipes

    • Overhead shot of coffee Oreo cookies on a white piece of parchment paper, surrounded by Oreo cookie crumbs.
      Coffee Oreo Cookies with Chocolate Chunks
    • Overhead shot of a dirty chai cake, decorated with chai spice buttercream and cinnamon sticks.
      Chai Buttercream Frosting with Cream Cheese
    • inside look at this 6 inch 2 layer cake, after a slice has been removed
      Biscoff Crumble Cake with Cookie Butter Frosting
    • Overhead image of frosted and unfrosted chocolate chip sugar cookies sitting on a wire rack. Parchment paper is on top of the rack and beneath the cookies.
      Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
    Print

    Black Cocoa Cookies

    Up-close overhead image of black cookies, sitting on a sheet of white parchment paper and dusted with sanding sugar.
    Pin Recipe
    Print Recipe

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    No reviews

    These black cocoa cookies get their stunning black color and Oreo cookie taste from black cocoa powder! The intense chocolate flavor is amazing.

    • Author: Susan Gravatt
    • Prep Time: 25 minutes
    • Cook Time: 13 minutes
    • Total Time: 40 minutes
    • Yield: 22 cookies 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: American

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Ingredients

    • 12 T (170 grams) unsalted butter, melted (yields about 160 grams)
    • 1 cup (200 grams) white sugar
    • ¼ cup (50 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract 
    • 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 large cold eggs (straight from the fridge)
    • 1 cup (100 grams) black cocoa powder
    • 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
    • Optional: 
      • White sanding or sparkling sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls before baking; for a fall twist, orange, black and white Halloween nonpareils also look great on these, rolled right before baking
      • You can also add ½ cup (around 100 grams) of mini chocolate chips to the dough for an even more chocolaty cookie

    Instructions

    1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
    2. After letting butter cool for 10 minutes, cream it in your mixing bowl along with vanilla extract and sugars together for 2 minutes.
    3. Stop the mixer and add salt, baking powder, and baking soda as well as half of your eggs, black cocoa powder, and flour. Mix for about 45 seconds on medium speed before stopping the mixer to add the remaining egg, black cocoa powder, and flour, beating again for 30 seconds. If you want to mix in chocolate chips, now is the time to add them to your bowl and incorporate them into your dough. 
    4. Scoop small (⅔ the size of a golf ball) round portions of your cookie dough onto ungreased aluminum baking sheets, with about 2 inches between each of them. Roll in sanding or sparkling sugar, sprinkles, or Halloween nonpareils at this step if you plan to use them. 
    5. Bake for 13-14 minutes. 
    6. Transfer them to cooling racks after they’ve sat on the baking sheets 10 or so minutes outside of the oven and are firm enough to handle. 

    Notes

    These nutritional values are approximate and can vary based on specific ingredient brands and measurements.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 cookie
    • Calories: 157 kcal
    • Sugar: 12.9 g
    • Sodium: 146.7 mg
    • Fat: 8 g
    • Saturated Fat: 5 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 3.1 g
    • Trans Fat: 0 g
    • Carbohydrates: 19.4 g
    • Fiber: 1.6 g
    • Protein: 2.1 g
    • Cholesterol: 23.4 mg

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag @susanbringsdessert — would love to see your creations!

    More Cookie Recipes

    • Overhead shot of a birthday cake cookie, with a pale golden color and full of rainbow sprinkles.
      Birthday Cake Cookies
    • Overhead image of chocolate sprinkle cookies sitting against a background of rainbow sprinkles.
      Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies
    • Easy Easter Bunny Sugar Cookies
    • cookies with rainbow sprinkles and Oreo pieces, sitting on a white piece of parchment
      Funfetti Oreo Cookies

    About Susan Gravatt

    Susan is a recipe developer and food photographer. She specializes in sharing original dessert recipes and unique buttercream cake designs and tutorials. Her goal is to help readers feel kitchen-confident when they're baking desserts and decorating cakes at home.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rachel Carmichael

      October 29, 2024 at 8:15 pm

      What brand of black cocoa do you recommend?

      Reply
      • Susan Gravatt

        October 29, 2024 at 8:26 pm

        Hi Rachel! I have typically used Wincrest's black cocoa powder, which I order online and really like.

        And while I haven't personally used it yet, I've also heard great things about the black cocoa powder from King Arthur. Hope that helps!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    Primary Sidebar

    headshot of Susan Gravatt, the baker and blogger behind Susan Brings Dessert.

    Welcome!

    I'm a self-taught baker who loves creating straightforward, easy-to-follow dessert recipes for the home baker. My goal is to give you the photos, tips, and tricks you need in each post so you can make jaw-dropping desserts in your own kitchen.

    My favorite part about this site is sharing all these ideas with you, especially when it comes to fun and unique ways to decorate cakes, cupcakes, and cookies with buttercream!

    More about me

    Get Delicious Recipes Directly in Your Inbox


    🔥 Trending Now

    • Inside look at chocolate layer cake with strawberry filling.
      Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Filling
    • Overhead shot of coffee Oreo cookies on a white piece of parchment paper, surrounded by Oreo cookie crumbs.
      Coffee Oreo Cookies with Chocolate Chunks
    • Mango cupcake surrounded by mango chunks.
      Mango Buttercream for Cake and Cupcakes
    • A small white cake filled and covered with rainbow sprinkles.
      4-Inch Mini Birthday Cake
    • Hero shot of baked big batch chocolate chip cookies, sitting on a cookie sheet.
      Big Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter
    • almond raspberry cupcake with a bite missing from it, sitting on stack of small white plates.
      Raspberry Almond Cupcakes with Filling

    🍪 Cookie Cravings

    • Overhead image of chocolate cookies and cream cookie.
      Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cookies
    • Oat flour chocolate chip cookies, sitting against a brown wooden cutting board and surrounded by chocolate chips.
      Oat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • cookies with rainbow sprinkles and Oreo pieces, sitting on a white piece of parchment
      Funfetti Oreo Cookies
    • Overhead image of frosted and unfrosted chocolate chip sugar cookies sitting on a wire rack. Parchment paper is on top of the rack and beneath the cookies.
      Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies

    Popular Categories

    • Cake Recipes
    • Frosting Recipes
    • Cupcake Recipes
    • Cookie Recipes

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Let's Collaborate

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Resources

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Susan Brings Dessert