If you’re on the hunt for an irresistibly cute and delicious treat, let me introduce you to my absolute favorite **Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe**. These charming cookies aren’t just adorable—they’re rich, soft, and coated in a luscious homemade buttercream that will have your family begging for more. Trust me, once you dive into this recipe, you’ll find it as fun to make as it is to eat!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Irresistible Flavor: The rich dark cocoa combined with creamy buttercream frosting creates the perfect chocolatey balance.
- Sweet and Soft Texture: These cookies bake up wonderfully soft with a tender bite that melts in your mouth.
- Fun and Festive: Decorating each penguin is like crafting little edible masterpieces that your friends and family will adore.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Every ingredient in this Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe works together to build a cookie that’s rich, soft, and beautifully decorated. When I shop for ingredients, I look for quality cocoa powder and fresh butter and cream cheese—these really make all the difference in taste and texture.
- Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter helps the dough come together smoothly and gives that lovely soft texture.
- Full fat cream cheese: Adds moisture and a slight tang to balance the sweet richness.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens while helping the cookies bake up soft and not too crisp.
- Egg: Make sure it’s room temperature for better mixing and texture in your dough.
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste: Boosts all the flavors with its warm, aromatic notes.
- All-purpose flour: The base of your cookie dough – sifted for a smooth batter.
- Dark or black cocoa powder: Gives these cookies their signature deep, chocolatey color and flavor.
- Cornstarch: A secret weapon I discovered for extra tenderness and soft bite.
- Fine salt: Enhances the chocolate flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Baking powder: Helps the cookies lift gently for a light texture.
- Powdered sugar: Essential for that silky smooth buttercream frosting.
- Heavy whipping cream: Adds richness and creaminess to your frosting and dough.
- Coarse sanding sugar: For a little sparkling crunch on the outside.
- Orange sweetheart or conversation heart candies: Used as cute embellishments—cut in half for the penguins’ beaks.
- Round flat sprinkles: I color the white sprinkles black with an edible marker for the penguin’s eyes, plus pink for a playful touch.
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat: Keeps your cookies baking evenly without sticking.
- 3 inch circle cookie cutter: To shape perfect bodies for each penguin.
- Piping bags: Two large ones for decorating the cookies with your buttercream.
Variations
I love making this Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe my own by playing around with simple tweaks. Don’t hesitate to customize it to suit your taste or occasion—whether it’s making them nut-free or adding new flavors, there’s plenty to explore.
- Chocolate Chip Variation: Sometimes I sprinkle mini dark chocolate chips into the dough for a melty surprise in every bite.
- Dairy-Free Version: Substitute butter and cream cheese with coconut-based alternatives; just keep an eye on consistency as it might shift a bit.
- Festive Colors: Use food coloring in your buttercream to match seasonal themes — my kids adore painting their penguins in “rainbow” frosting!
- Spiced Twist: Adding a pinch of cinnamon or cayenne gives these cookies a subtle warmth that’s unexpectedly wonderful.
How to Make Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Cream Butter and Cream Cheese Until Fluffy
Start by beating your room temperature unsalted butter and cream cheese together until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. This step is key—it infuses your dough with creaminess and will make your cookies melt-in-your-mouth soft. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed and scrape down the sides often to make sure everything’s even.
Step 2: Add Sugar, Egg, and Vanilla
Next, beat in the granulated sugar gradually, then the large egg and vanilla extract. The egg should be at room temp to mix in nicely, avoiding a curdled dough. I discovered this trick after a few messy batches—room temp eggs just yield better cookies!
Step 3: Sift Dry Ingredients and Combine
Sift together your all-purpose flour, dark cocoa powder, cornstarch, fine salt, and baking powder. Slowly add this to your wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix or your cookies might turn out tough—stop as soon as you see no more flour streaks.
Step 4: Chill the Dough
Wrap your dough tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour. I can’t stress enough how much chilling helps these cookies hold their shape. Plus, it makes rolling and cutting the penguin circles so much easier!
Step 5: Cut Circles and Bake
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness on parchment paper or a silicone mat, then cut out 3-inch circles with your cookie cutter. Transfer to baking sheets and sprinkle lightly with sanding sugar before baking for 13 minutes or until edges are set but centers remain soft. Let cookies cool fully before decorating.
Step 6: Make the Chocolate Buttercream
Beat together softened butter with powdered sugar, then add vanilla, salt, cocoa powder, and heavy cream, mixing until smooth and fluffy. This frosting is the best part—I discovered adding a bit more cream late in the mixing process makes it extra silky and perfect for piping.
Step 7: Pipe and Decorate Your Penguins
Fill two piping bags—one with black cocoa buttercream and one with plain (or lightly tinted) buttercream. Create the penguin’s body with the black, then add the white belly with the plain frosting. Quickly press half an orange candy as a beak, and use black and pink sprinkles for eyes and cheeks. It’s almost like painting with frosting, and it’s so much fun!
Pro Tips for Making Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe
- Chill Twice: I chill the dough before rolling and again after cutting to keep those penguin shapes sharp and neat.
- Use an Edible Marker: I color white sprinkles black with an edible marker for the penguin eyes—it’s way easier than searching for tiny black sprinkles!
- Layer Buttercream Slowly: Pipe a thin base layer first, chill briefly, then add details to avoid colors blending or frosting sliding.
- Avoid Overbaking: These cookies keep their softness best when you pull them out just as edges are set—don’t wait for them to brown.
How to Serve Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I love simple garnishes like a sprinkle of sanding sugar for sparkle and a few colorful conversation hearts around the serving plate to highlight the penguin theme. They add a festive touch without overshadowing the cookies’ charm.
Side Dishes
These cookies go beautifully alongside a warm cup of milk, hot cocoa, or a rich espresso. For a party, I like pairing them with a fresh fruit platter or even simple vanilla ice cream for a fun dessert spread.
Creative Ways to Present
For winter gatherings, I set my Chocolate Penguin Cookies upright on a snowy bed of coconut flakes and powdered sugar “snow.” Another time, I arranged them around a small chocolate “igloo” cake for a whimsical centerpiece everyone loved!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store your decorated penguin cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. I keep mine on a single layer separated by parchment to avoid smudging the frosting. They stay fresh for up to 4 days with no loss in flavor or texture.
Freezing
Did you know you can freeze both the cookie dough and the finished cookies? I like freezing dough balls on a tray and then transferring them to a bag—bake straight from frozen for convenience. You can also freeze decorated cookies, just make sure they’re well wrapped and thaw slowly at room temperature to keep frosting intact.
Reheating
To bring frozen cookies back to life, let them thaw fully, then warm briefly in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes to refresh softness without melting the frosting—perfect for that freshly-baked feel.
FAQs
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Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of black cocoa in this Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe?
Yes, you can substitute regular dark cocoa powder if black cocoa isn’t available, but keep in mind it will produce a lighter color and a slightly less intense chocolate flavor. The black cocoa is what gives these cookies their signature deep color and that almost “ink-black” look that’s perfect for penguins.
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What’s the secret to soft and chewy penguin cookies?
Chilling the dough is key, as it helps control spread during baking. Using cream cheese in the dough adds moisture, and the cornstarch softens the texture. Also, don’t overbake them—pull cookies out just when edges are set but centers still look slightly soft.
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How do I keep my buttercream frosting from melting when decorating?
Make sure your frosting is well chilled but still soft enough to pipe, and work in a cool environment. I sometimes refrigerate my cookies briefly after the base layer of frosting before adding detailed designs. This helps the frosting hold shape and prevents smudging.
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Can I make these cookies vegan?
You can try substituting vegan butter and cream cheese alternatives, along with a flax or chia egg instead of the chicken egg. The texture will change slightly, but with some experiments, you can get close to the same tender, chocolatey delight.
Final Thoughts
I absolutely love how this Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe turns out—fun to make, adorable, and downright delicious. When I first tried these, I was blown away by how simple ingredients came together to create such whimsical treats that were practically too cute to eat (almost!). Give it a try and see how your family lights up when you serve these at your next get-together. I promise, once you master the basics, you’ll have a new holiday favorite that’s both a craft and a treat rolled into one.
Print
Chocolate Penguin Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 13 min
- Total Time: 1 hr 33 min
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Penguin Cookies are charming, soft, and chewy cookies featuring rich chocolate dough adorned with decadent homemade buttercream frosting. Perfect for festive occasions, these cookies are creatively decorated with sanding sugar, colorful candies, and sprinkles to resemble adorable penguins that delight both kids and adults.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (170g)
- 1/2 cup or 4 oz. full fat cream cheese, room temperature (113g)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (56g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (8g)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (310g)
- 2/3 cup dark or black cocoa powder (65g)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
- 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (2g)
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (12g)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (454g or 1 lb. box)
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature (60g)
- 1/3 cup dark or black cocoa powder – to be added later (33g)
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream – to be added later (30g)
Decorations
- 1 cup coarse sanding sugar
- 48 orange sweetheart or conversation heart candies – cut in half
- Round, flat, black sprinkles (color white sprinkles black with an edible marker)
- Round, flat, pink sprinkles
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Large baking sheets/cookie trays
- 3 inch circle cookie cutter
- 2 large piping bags
Instructions
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and full-fat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to beat until well combined. Beat in the egg followed by the vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, dark or black cocoa powder, cornstarch, fine salt, and baking powder. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until a uniform dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until firm enough to roll out. This chilling step is crucial to prevent spreading during baking.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Using a 3-inch circle cookie cutter, cut out rounds and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 13 minutes until the edges are set but centers remain soft. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely on the trays.
- Prepare the Buttercream Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until creamy. Add vanilla extract and fine salt. Gradually add powdered sugar and beat on low speed initially to avoid a sugar cloud, then increase speed until fluffy. Add the 1/4 cup heavy cream and beat until smooth. Divide the frosting into two portions; mix the 1/3 cup dark or black cocoa powder and 2 Tbsp heavy cream into one portion until fully incorporated to create chocolate buttercream.
- Assemble the Frosting and Decorations: Transfer the plain and chocolate buttercream into separate piping bags. Using the sanding sugar, sprinkle over the surface where desired on the cookies to mimic a snowy texture. Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cookies to form the penguin’s body and features.
- Decorate the Penguins: Use the orange sweetheart or conversation heart candy halves to create the penguins’ beaks or feet. Apply the black sprinkles for eyes and other features, coloring white sprinkles black with an edible marker as needed. Use pink sprinkles for the cheeks or embellishments as preferred.
- Final Touches: Allow the decorated cookies to set at room temperature or refrigerate briefly to firm up the frosting before serving or packaging.
Notes
- These adorable penguin cookies bake up soft and chewy and are decorated with the most delicious homemade buttercream frosting.
- Ensure dough is well chilled for best textural results and easier handling.
- Use room temperature ingredients for smoother mixing and better consistency.
- Decorations can be customized with different candies or sprinkles as desired.
- These cookies make a charming holiday treat or themed party dessert.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 356 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 136 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
