4 October 2026
Chocolate cut-out cookies
A cocoa dough that still cuts into clean shapes. Useful when you want the biscuit to show around a round topper.
# What you need - 200g unsalted butter, soft - 150g light brown sugar - 1 egg - 1 tsp vanilla extract - 280g plain flour - 40g cocoa powder - 1/2 tsp baking powder - A pinch of salt
# Method 1. Beat the butter and sugar, then mix in the egg and vanilla. 2. Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir until you have an even brown dough. 3. Wrap and chill for 1 hour. Cocoa dough softens quickly, so roll it while it is still cold. 4. Cut your shapes. For a cupcake-style biscuit, a plain round cutter about 6cm across works well under a 2 inch topper. 5. Bake at 170°C fan, 180°C conventional, for 9 to 12 minutes. 6. Cool on a rack.
# Finishing Dust a little icing sugar over the bare biscuit, or add a ring of buttercream and set a pre-cut edible disc in the middle. The contrast between the dark cookie and a bright printed topper is the point of this one.