Indulge in these rich, chocolate sugar cookies, perfect for cut-outs and decorating. They're soft, hold their shape well, and have a delicious chocolatey flavor.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt; set aside
In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with shortening and sugar until smooth, light in color, and creamy (2-3 minutes).
Add vanilla and egg and mix again until the egg is incorporated but don’t over-whip (the longer you whip the egg, it can souffle up and the cookies will rise and you don’t want that).
Add in the dry ingredients in 2-3 small additions and mix until just combined. Scrape the sides with a spatula so no dry flour is left.
Form the dough into a small disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, or 160°C fan oven and line three baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
Dust a clean work surface with cocoa powder, then roll out the chilled dough into a ¼ inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough, then transfer to the prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes, or until cookies have puffed up and are set in the center.
Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cookie Count: About 24 cookies with a 4-inch cutter. Varies by shape.
Storage: Keep undecorated cookies fresh up to 1 week. Great for prepping ahead!
Freezing: Use an airtight container, and separate layers with parchment. Keeps up to 3 months, decorated or not.