These egg free chocolate cookies are a favorite for this chocolate-lover! They can be made into classic chocolate cookies or chocolate cut-outs. The dough come together quickly using basic pantry staples – no special egg substitutes necessary. Chocolate cookies stay soft to the bite, even after cooling. They taste a little like hot cocoa in cookie form!
Servings: 24cookies
Author: Lisa Ngo, Safely Delish
Ingredients
1cupbutter (or DF margarine), room temperature
1cupgranulated sugar
1/2cupbrown sugar, packed
1/4cupunsweetened applesauce, level across top
2Tbsp milk or DF milk
2tsp vanilla
1/2cupcocoa powder
2 3/4cupsall purpose flour (gently spooned into measuring cup, and leveled off across the top)
1tspbaking powder (not soda)
1tspsalt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, whisk or mix together (by hand or with a mixer) butter and sugars until combined. Stir in applesauce, milk, and vanilla until incorporated.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add to the first bowl, and stir until combined.
For Cut-Outs: Roll out cookie dough to 1/3" thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Chill rolled out dough in freezer for 5-10 minutes, or about 30 minutes in the refrigerator before cutting shapes (this will allow dough to stiffen, especially important if your butter was softer). For Round Cookies: Roll into 1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp-sized balls. Roll in granulated sugar (optional: roll in confectioners sugar afterward), and place on pan. Dough balls will not spread much as they bake – for flatter cookies, press each cookie down to 1/2" thickness before baking.
Bake cookies on ungreased baking sheet or parchment-lined sheet at 350F for 8-10 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool on the pan for at least 5 minutes (this is important, and will allow them set) before carefully transferring to wire cooling rack. Cool completely before icing/decorating. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
Cut-Out Cookie Tips:
Dust your cookie cutters with confectioners sugar or flour before and during use.
Chill your rolled-out dough in the freezer for 5 minutes before cutting out.
Dust work surface with flour or confectioners sugar before rolling out to minimize sticking.
Chocolate Glaze (Optional):
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
5-6 teaspoons milk (or DF milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of salt
Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl. Spread icing immediately onto cooled cookies with a small spatula, or the back of a spoon (plastic baby spoons work great for this!). Top with sprinkle right after icing, if desired. Allow glaze to set completely before storing.