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Chocolate drop cookies are soft, tender, and wonderfully chocolaty — the kind of simple, old-fashioned cookie that comes together quickly and works with or without mix-ins. The batter mixes easily by hand or with a mixer, and the cookies bake into soft little mounds with deep cocoa flavor.
They’re perfect for after-school treats, lunchboxes, or quick holiday baking. Add nuts, white chocolate chips, or semisweet chips to customize the flavor and texture, or keep them plain for a classic soft chocolate cookie.
What You’ll Like About These Cookies
Soft and tender. These are cake-like cookies with a moist, chocolaty crumb.
Quick and easy. No chilling and no complicated steps — mix, drop, and bake.
Versatile. Add nuts, white chocolate, semisweet chips, or bake them plain.
Great for batches. Makes about 3 dozen cookies and freezes well.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: Adds richness and helps create a soft texture.
- Sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps the cookies brown slightly.
- Vanilla: Enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Egg: Provides structure and tenderness.
- All-purpose flour: Sifted for a lighter, more tender cookie.
- Baking powder: Gives the cookies lift and softness.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Cocoa powder: Unsweetened cocoa provides deep chocolate flavor.
- Milk: Moistens the batter and keeps the cookies soft.
- Mix-ins: Chopped nuts or chocolate chips add texture and extra flavor.
Steps to Make Chocolate Drop Cookies
- Heat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease them.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla and egg.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa in a separate bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, mixing until smooth.
- Fold in nuts or chocolate chips.
- Drop batter by teaspoonfuls or with a cookie scoop onto prepared sheets.
- Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the tops are set.
Tips
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies that bake uniformly.
- Do not overbake — the cookies should look set but still soft to keep their tender texture.
- Sift the cocoa with the flour to prevent lumps in the batter.
- For extra moisture, add a tablespoon of sour cream to the batter.
Recipe Variations
- White chocolate chip version. Stir in white chocolate chips for a sweet contrast to the cocoa.
- Double chocolate drops. Add semisweet chocolate chips to intensify the chocolate flavor.
- Nutty cocoa cookies. Use chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch and richness.
- Mocha variation. Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a coffee-chocolate twist.
- Peppermint cocoa drops. Fold in crushed peppermint candies for a holiday version.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with a glass of milk, coffee, or hot chocolate.
- Add them to cookie trays or holiday gift boxes.
- Pair with vanilla ice cream for a simple dessert.
- Choose to frost them lightly with chocolate glaze for a richer treat.
How to Store
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Freeze dough: Scoop dough onto a tray, freeze until firm, then store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes if needed.
Chocolate Drop Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or semisweet or white chocolate chips (optional)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg.1/4 cup unsalted butter | 1 cup granulated sugar | 1/2 tsp vanilla extract | 1 large egg
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder; add to the first mixture alternately with milk, blending well.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour | 2 tsp baking powder | 1/2 tsp fine salt | 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder | 1/2 cup milk
- Fold in chopped nuts or other mix-ins, as desired.1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or semisweet or white chocolate chips (optional)
- Drop from a teaspoon or cookie scoop onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until set.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
