Chocolate Swig Cookies
MAKES 5 DOZEN | LEVEL: BEGINNER
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I hope you’ll love these Swig cookies as much as I do. What the heck is a Swig cookie, you ask? Fair question. There’s a little shop in St. George, Utah, with two locations that sells these, among other things, and these delightful soft cookies with frosting evidently have quite a following. Not sure this is exactly their recipe, but they will delight you, for sure. Of everything I bake, these cookies are my favorite. They melt in your mouth, and the frosting is just ridiculous. Use any sprinkles you like to change them up for any holiday or occasion.
Chocolate Swig Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 8 minutes
- Yield: 5 dozen 1x
Description
The flavor on these is outrageous! They’re easy to make, but take a little bit of time to frost each cookie individually. Make these for birthdays, holidays, or any occasion by switching out the sprinkles to reflect whatever you’re celebrating!
Ingredients
Cookie ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa (preferably Dutch-process)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup salted butter, softened to room temp
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs
Granulated sugar, for pressing
Frosting ingredients:
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted through mesh strainer to remove lumps
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla
Instructions
To make the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350. Line several large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt.
- Using a stand mixer or a large bowl and handheld mixer, cream butter and both kinds of sugar until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add a little of the oil at a time and mix to avoid splashing. Add eggs and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until dough comes together. It should be stiff but not dry.
- Form the dough into balls or use a cookie scoop and place cookies a few inches apart on prepared baking sheet.
- Place ¼ cup of granulated sugar in a shallow dish. Using a paper towel, rub some butter or oil on the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass.
- Dip a flat-bottomed glass into the sugar and press down to flatten each dough ball, re-dipping in sugar each time.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes. The cookies will be very soft in the middle but set around the edges. Don’t overbake! Let them cool for a few minutes before transferring onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Use a mixer to cream the butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar until very light and fluffy.
- Add remaining powdered sugar, sifted cocoa powder, heavy cream and vanilla. Mix 2-3 minutes until thick and creamy.
- Spread the frosting evenly on each cookie and decorate with sprinkles. Frost and then sprinkle a few at a time to avoid the frosting hardening before you decorate.
Store covered in the fridge 3-4 days, or freeze and pull out whenever you need a chocolate fix!
Notes
What’s the difference between Dutch-process cocoa and unsweetened cocoa? The short answer is that Dutch-process cocoa has a different alkaline level than regular unsweetened cocoa, such as Hershey’s, and will interact with your leavening agents (baking powder and baking soda) differently.
What the heck is Cream of Tartar and where do I find it? You can buy it in the spice aisle at any grocery store. McCormick makes some. You can find it in the lineup with the rest of their spices.
Recommended tools & equipment: Large sifter or strainer for separating out any lumps in the cocoa for the frosting.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: dessert, cookie
- Cuisine: American