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Frosted chocolate sugar cookie with chocolate pearls on metal rack.

Soft Frosted Chocolate Swig Sugar Cookies

Yield: 36 Cookies (2-3 dozen depending on size)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

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 over bake! 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 powered 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

Update: I've made a few small changes to this recipe to combat the crumbly texture that some have reported. The good news is that the small changes make these cookies better than ever. If you want to know the changes so you can continue to make them the old way here they are: 
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.