With an usually soft texture and amazingly rich chocolate flavor, these chocolate frosted Swig-style cookies are so easy to make and will rock your world with their deliciousness.
I can’t believe it’s been eight months since I told you about these cookies on Instagram with nary a word or recipe post here on the blog to follow up the gush fest.
Sorry about that.
The upside to completely holding out on you is that having spent eight months making these cookies dozens and dozens of times (not kidding), I basically have the recipe down to a foolproof, no-fail science.
Which is kind of funny, because these cookies really don’t need foolproof science. The recipe is easy. Super easy.
They have become my go-to cookie every time I need a quick treat for a get-together, potluck, take-in meal or just quick chocolate fix. You’d be shocked at how often I’ve made them just because I’m craving a chocolate cookie. Or would you? You probably know me pretty well by now. No secrets here.
That ultra-soft (almost unusually so) rich chocolate cookie frosted with the dreamiest, most delicious chocolate frosting…well, it’s become one of my favorite cookies of all time.
Apparently Swig (a sweet shop located in Utah, I believe) cookies have a sort of cult following. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve never had a real, live, authentic Swig cookie. So I can’t tell you whether this chocolate knockoff is similar or not to the chocolate Swig cookies you can buy at their store.
But in another step toward full disclosure, I’m also not sure I have a huge desire to taste a verified chocolate Swig cookie. I’m afraid there’s no way it will live up to the deliciousness of these cookies that I can easily make (and eat without anyone watching) in my own kitchen.
The cookie itself is a drop sugar cookie (meaning, you don’t have to roll and cut out the dough) that’s lightly pressed into a crackly disc with the bottom of a sugar-laced drinking glass. On its own, the cookie is quite tasty. I’ve even made the cookies once or twice without frosting them.
I’d like to say that was planned, but because we are all friends, I’ll just tell you – it’s because the cookies got gobbled up before I could make the frosting.
You know, five kids and all that (best excuse in the world).
The key to the amazingly soft texture of the cookies is to only bake them for 8-9 minutes. Any longer and it could be death to your could-be-lifechanging chocolate sugar cookie. Consider yourself warned.
And that frosting?
Oh, that frosting. It’s so creamy, so chocolate-y, so fluffy and rich and decadent…it has become my new favorite chocolate frosting for everything (not to be excluded: sandwiching the dreamy stuff between graham crackers).
I won’t be mad if you decide to toss a few sprinkles on top of the frosted cookie (especially if it’s a holiday and you want to make them a bit more festive looking).
But these show-stopping cookies certainly don’t need the fuss of sprinkles if you’d rather leave them off. They really are perfect just as they are.
Cookie + frosting. That’s it.
Of the many, many recipes I make and post on here, these chocolate cookies are truly one where I wish you could all just reach through the screen and taste a little nibble (my generosity only extends to a mere snitch just to whet your appetite to make them for yourself). That heavenly chocolate combo of soft cookie and creamy frosting is almost impossible to appreciate fully without experiencing it yourself.
A few notes about cocoa here. In the pictures for this post, my cookies are lighter in color than the frosting. That’s namely because I used natural, unsweetened cocoa powder (like, Hershey’s) in the cookie and a darker, richer Dutch-process cocoa in the frosting.
But if you notice in my Instagram post from several months ago, when I used Dutch-process (dark cocoa powder from Ghirardelli) in the cookies and the frosting, the cookies look somewhat darker.
Basically, you can interchange the type of cocoa powder you use for the cookie batter and for the frosting.
Dutch-process cocoa powder, with its milder, richer taste, will give the cookies a slightly more intense chocolate punch without the hint of acidity that you sometimes get with natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. However, the cookies and the frosting are perfectly wonderful with natural, unsweetened cocoa powder, too (which is probably the most common type of cocoa powder most home cooks keep on hand).
And if you’re thoroughly confused about cocoa powder after this little talk (don’t worry, you aren’t alone), here’s a quick post that can help unmuddy the cocoa powder waters a bit. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below, as well.
Honestly, these cookies are worth making, especially if you haven’t nailed down what you want to bring to friends/neighbors/teachers/coworkers/3rd cousins twice removed this time of year.
I make these cookies large and in charge using my #20 cookie scoop, but you could definitely make them smaller (I actually think a bite-size version of this cookie might be the cutest and smartest thing one of us could ever do).
And since I know someone might ask, yes, I do occasionally make the traditional non-chocolate Swig-style sugar cookies. As undeniably delicious as they are, they don’t hold a candle to this chocolate version in my world.
One Year Ago: Soft Eggnog Sugar Cookies with Whipped Eggnog Frosting
Two Years Ago: Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites {Main Dish or Appetizer!}
Three Years Ago: Toffee Crumble Caramel Apple Pie
Chocolate Frosted Swig-Style Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 cups (20 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (4 ounces) dutch-process or unsweetened, natural cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (9.25 ounces) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup neutral flavored oil, like canola, vegetable, grapeseed or avocado
- 2 large eggs
- Granulated sugar, for rolling
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter, softened
- 2 cups (8 ounces) powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup Dutch-process or unsweetened, natural cocoa powder, sifted through a fine mesh strainer (to avoid little bumps and lumps in the frosting)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cookies:
Frosting:
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line several large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- For the cookies, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.
- 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 and eggs and mix until well-combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough comes together. It should be stiff, but not dry (and definitely not overly wet or sticky).
- Form the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball or thereabouts. I use my #20 cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough per ball). You can definitely make them smaller, too, if you’d like.
- Place the cookies several inches apart on the prepared baking sheet(s).
- Place 1/4 cup or so of 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) and then press the glass onto a cookie, flattening to about 1/4-inch or slightly thicker. Repeat that process for all of the cookie dough balls.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes. The cookies will still be very soft in the middle but set around the edges. Don’t overbake! 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 (handheld or stand 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, sifted cocoa powder, heavy cream, and vanilla. Mix for 2-3 minutes until very thick and creamy.
- Spread the frosting evenly on the cookies. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Store well-covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
3.1
https://www.melskitchencafe.com/chocolate-frosted-swig-style-cookies/
Printed from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (www.melskitchencafe.com)
Recipe Source: adapted from Melissa at The Faux Martha
