Chocolate Drop Cookies
Teresa’s Bake Shop – Christmas Cookie Extravaganza – 2012
These delightful Chocolate Drop Cookies were my favorite cookies out of all the different cookies my mom baked when I was growing up. It’s a rich, decadent chocolate cookie (made even richer by using dark roasted cocoa) that is almost like eating a brownie; then it’s iced with a fabulous chocolate frosting (and yes, I heap on the frosting!) making it even more delectable.
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Oh, my! One taste of these delicious morsels; one smell of the dark roasted chocolate wafting through your house for hours; one look at the thick, piled high icing; and one touch of this dense, thick cookie will have you hooked! Yes, Chocolate Drop Cookies are addictive! Consumer beware!
Our family loves these cookies and they make a frequent appearance in our yearly Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. Mom didn’t make these as often as chocolate chip or coconut oatmeal cookies, but when she did I was the first to raid the cookie jar. I loved scarfing down these tasty treats. If you make this amazing recipe you will see why.
If you keep a decently stocked pantry you should have most of the ingredients on hand, with the exception of cream. In fact, I had forgotten these cookies called for cream in the icing but thankfully I had cream and half-and-half in the refrigerator so I was able to make it. I used half regular cocoa, and half dark-roasted for both the cookies and the icing. It makes the cookies and icing a little darker in color, and quite a bit richer in taste. Yeah!
I have no idea where mom got the recipe but I know she was making these way back in the 1940s after she got married. She may have gotten it from a family member, a friend, or even a cookbook, but usually if it was from a cookbook she would go to the cookbook and leave it out to make a recipe.
Mom had this recipe on a recipe card so I think she collected this from a friend or relative. Regardless, I will give my mom credit for the recipe even though she did not create it.
This is the only drop cookie recipe I use. I roll every other cookie into balls. It’s an amazingly tasty and fairly economical cookie that your family will really enjoy if they like chocolate frosted cookies or brownies. Brighten up your holiday season by giving this recipe a try. You will be so glad you did.
When I initially posted this recipe in November 2012, it was for my Christmas cookie baking list that year. I was still taking pictures with my iPhone and I had too many “Christmasy props” which caused the pictures to be a little on the cluttered side.
That’s part of starting a new blog and not knowing anything about food photography. Sometimes less is really more! As a result, I’ve been going back through all my first year recipes (before I started taking pictures with my Canon), and remaking the recipes so I can get better pictures.
I recently remade these delicious cookies (July 2015) to give to one of my son’s boss’s who had helped our oldest son with a new employment situation. This was the second time he had done so, so I wanted to make up a batch of cookies with a thank you note to let him know how much we appreciated his efforts. These have always been one of my favorite cookie recipes and if you enjoy chocolate, these cookies have it all!
Chocolate Drop Cookies are the most decadent, incredibly wonderful tasting iced chocolate cookies you will ever eat!
I grew up eating these luscious cookies as a child. Chocolate Drop Cookies are so delectable.
Chocolate cookies with rich, chocolate frosting – oh yeah! Yummy! Every bite of Chocolate Drop Cookies is tantalizing!
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients.
Place shortening in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, eggs, cocoa, sour cream, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens baked goods. Add walnuts.
Stir all ingredients together with a wooden spoon. (Don’t use an electric mixer to add the flour or it will make the cookies tough.)
Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Drop dough with an ice cream scoop onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake about 10-12 minutes at 350. The original recipe says to bake from 5-7 minutes but it took mine about 10-15 minutes.
I used these ingredients to make the icing.
Make icing: melt butter. Add cream, vanilla and cocoa.
Add powdered sugar. Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer. You need to get the icing to a nice spreading consistency. If it doesn’t go on easily you may have to add more cream. If it’s too runny add more powdered sugar.
Place cookies on cookie rack to cool completely. Once they are set up you can ice them. These can be a little fragile so handle carefully.
Spread the icing on the cookies with a knife. Then allow the icing to set before storing in air-tight containers.
Chocolate Drop Cookies are great treats to take to your office. Everyone just raves over them.
Don’t they look delicious? They taste even better.
Consider putting Chocolate Drop Cookies on your holiday menu!
Here’s the recipe.
CHOCOLATE DROP COOKIES
(Recipe from my mom, Helen Mattis, Titusville, FL)
Chocolate Drop Cookies
Equipment
- 2 large 15x26" cookie sheet pans
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 2 wooden spoons
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 nut chopper (unless you purchase chopped walnuts)
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
COOKIES:
- 1/2 cup Crisco shortening no substitutes
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/3 cup cocoa or 3 one-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
- 5 tbsp. unsalted butter melted
- 3 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa or 3 one-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
Instructions
COOKIES:
- Mix shortening, sugar, egg, vanilla, cocoa, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with an electric mixer.
- Stir in flour and walnuts.
- Drop by spoonfuls and bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes.
- Rotate cookie sheets on oven racks after six minutes of baking time.
- Do not over bake.
- Ice with chocolate icing.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
- Mix together and spread over cooled cookies.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- ½ cup Crisco shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 ¾ cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 squares unsweetened chocolate or 1/3 cup cocoa
- Mix shortening, sugar, egg, vanilla, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir in flour and walnuts.
- Drop by spoonfuls and bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes.
- Do not over bake.
- Ice with chocolate icing.
- 5 tbsp. melted butter
- 3 tbsp. cream
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 squares unsweetened chocolate or 1/3 cup cocoa
- Mix together and spread over cooled cookies.
Your kids will love having these fabulous Chocolate Drop Cookies served in your home.
Chocolate Drop Cookies were my favorite cookies when I was growing up.
Your company will love being treated to these spectacular cookies. The ingredients are common so that you can make these cookies any time of the year. They don’t have to remain a holiday treat.
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Chocolate Chip Macadamia Crunch Brownies
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Whoopie Pies
Chocolate and Vanilla Chip Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Drop Cookies
Equipment
- 2 large 15×26" cookie sheet pans
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 2 wooden spoons
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 nut chopper (unless you purchase chopped walnuts)
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
COOKIES:
- 1/2 cup Crisco shortening no substitutes
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/3 cup cocoa or 3 one-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
- 5 tbsp. unsalted butter melted
- 3 tbsp. heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa or 3 one-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
Instructions
COOKIES:
- Mix shortening, sugar, egg, vanilla, cocoa, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with an electric mixer.
- Stir in flour and walnuts.
- Drop by spoonfuls and bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes.
- Rotate cookie sheets on oven racks after six minutes of baking time.
- Do not over bake.
- Ice with chocolate icing.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
- Mix together and spread over cooled cookies.
29 Comments
Lisa Barger
March 12, 2020 at 9:48 am
Hi! I am wanting to make the Chocolate Drop Cookies and wondering if I could replace the shortening with butter? Thank you!
Teresa
March 12, 2020 at 2:15 pm
Hi, Lisa. I’ve not done it before because usually if you substitute an equal amount of butter, the cookies will flatten out and run on the cookie sheet. If you really want to try a butter version, start with less. Look at my pictures and do your best to try to get the consistency of the cookie dough as close to mine as you can. If you need to use the full amount of butter, do so, but try to make sure the consistency looks as much like mine as possible. That’s the best I can do. Hope it turns out well. Please let me know how it turns out for you.
barbara
December 24, 2017 at 3:39 pm
my mother used to make them also but would add whiskey soaked raisins and instant coffee to the frosting.
Teresa
December 24, 2017 at 5:34 pm
Sounds so interesting, Barbara. These sure are great cookies.
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Triss
February 28, 2015 at 9:12 am
Teresa, You know I don’t cook, so I had to get Mom’s recipe from your website/blog. We all loved these Chocolate Drop Cookies growing up. So I made them for an office party, without the nuts :o( because one person in my office does not eat nuts. But they were still great. I also used a melon baller which made them more rounded; but I definitely like them flatter, more surface for icing :o) And now I have another request to bake them for the office.
By the way, I really like your revamped website. I have been going through your Cooking Tips section all morning. Love, xoxo, Triss
Teresa
February 28, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Thanks, Triss. I’m not sure how you ended up growing up in the same house with me and not enjoy cooking! Mom was so good at cooking even if she wasn’t the best teacher. Even still, I’m glad you made these cookies for your office and they loved them. I looked more closely at the chocolate cake recipe I had in my cookbook and I’m pretty sure it’s NOT the one mom made for us for birthdays. The one with the fudge frosting. You will need to contact Phillis. I know she has it. Will you send it to me also when you get it?
P.S. I’m glad you like the revamped website. It took me 17 months – 40 hours + per week to get it all done! I’m so glad to finally have some free time on my hands. See you next week.
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GailM
November 20, 2012 at 3:14 am
This looks quick; easy and very delicious, just what I was looking for
Teresa
November 20, 2012 at 8:46 pm
They are marvelous.
baking bohemian
November 17, 2012 at 2:01 am
A childhood favourite of mine – delish!
Teresa
November 17, 2012 at 3:37 pm
mine too!
LizForADay
November 16, 2012 at 11:06 pm
I wish I could at least lick this page. I wonder if they will ever invent lickable food web pages. 🙂
petit4chocolatier
November 16, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Delicious! My kind of cookie : )
Teresa
November 16, 2012 at 10:41 pm
Yeah, lots of chocolate!
Tamara Leigh: The Kitchen Novelist
November 16, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Er…baking 🙂
Teresa
November 16, 2012 at 10:44 pm
Enjoy!
Katie
November 16, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Mmm, that frosting looks out of control!
Teresa
November 16, 2012 at 7:20 pm
Yes, it’s really delicious. It makes these cookies very rich and so very wonderful! I love these cookies!
Tamara Leigh: The Kitchen Novelist
November 16, 2012 at 4:35 pm
Seriously, Teresa. If you don’t stop this, I’m going to have to buy one of those gut-squeezing Flexees undershirts 🙂
Teresa
November 16, 2012 at 7:16 pm
LOL! Hey, I’ve just gotten started. I probably have 20 more I’m going to post this holiday season. I don’t want you to go without a drool-salivation day! hehehe
Tamara Leigh: The Kitchen Novelist
November 16, 2012 at 7:18 pm
Well, I just may have to boycott your blog, then. Sniff! Happy Cooking, Teresa!
Teresa
November 16, 2012 at 10:43 pm
Thanks!