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Chocolate Dot Cookies

Thick, soft chocolate cookies topped with rich homemade chocolate buttercream and coated in colorful nonpareils! These easy Chocolate Dot Cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie boxes, birthdays or even just when you're craving the perfect chocolate cookie bite.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time9 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Author: Emily - My Messy Kitchen

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1 cup salted butter room temperature. you can use unsalted if you prefer!
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp whole milk room temperature
  • 2 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp kosher salt

For the chocolate buttercream

  • ½ cup salted butter room temperature. you can use unsalted if you prefer
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tbsp heavy cream or milk room temperature
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup holiday non-pareils

Instructions

For the cookies:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and whole milk. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to over mix.
  • Using a medium 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies approximately 2 inches apart. Do not flatten the dough balls.
  • Bake for approximately 9–11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still appear soft.
  • mmediately after removing the cookies from the oven, use a round cookie cutter or glass to gently reshape them into perfectly round cookies, if desired. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the chocolate buttercream:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, sifted cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
  • Gradually add the heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a smooth, fluffy consistency. Beat for an additional 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add additional cream or powdered sugar as needed to reach a thick, scoop able consistency.

For decorating:

  • Pour the Christmas nonpareils into a shallow bowl. Scoop a mounded tablespoon of frosting onto the top of the cookie (I use a 1 tbsp cookie scoop) or you can transfer the chocolate buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip. Pipe a generous mound of chocolate buttercream onto each completely cooled cookie.
  • Gently press the frosted side of each cookie into the nonpareils until the frosting is spread to the edges of the cookies and the frosting is fully coated in sprinkles. Allow the frosting to set slightly before serving. Enjoy!