Grandma’s Cocoa Drop Cookies are a chocolate lover’s dream cookie. The cookie itself is soft and cakey, made with cocoa and chopped pecans. The frosting is a rich fudge-like topping that takes these cookies over the top. A glass of milk on the side is a must!
If you love chocolate, Cocoa Drop Cookies are the perfect cookie to satisfy a chocolate craving.
The cookie is soft and chocolatey, which pairs perfectly with the walnuts folded inside, and the rich fudge frosting.
Some people know them as Chocolate Drop Cookies, but we call them Cocoa Drops in my family.
The recipe is from my Grandma Verie, and these chocolate drop cookies have been made for years by her, my mom, and now me. Similar to these Rum Balls and Snowball Cookies, it’s not Christmas at our house without at least one batch of these.
And they are a great entry for a cookie exchange (learn more about that in my guide to How to Host a Cookie Exchange!).
I hope you enjoy a taste of this family recipe!
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How to make cocoa drop cookies
This cookie dough makes a very “wet” dough, more similar to brownie batter than cookie dough. As a result, it needs a few hours to firm up in the refrigerator, so take that into account when making these cookies!
- Using a stand mixer or handmixer, start by creaming together the butter and the sugar.
- Add the egg and beat until combined.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the buttermilk and vanilla.
- With the mixer still on low, add the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add the pecans and mix on low just until combined.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or until firm. You can refrigerate the dough, covered, for up to 48 hours before baking.
- Spoon the cookie dough onto sheet trays fitted with a silicone mat. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies no longer look wet on top.
A note on these cookies: they are known for sticking to pans, even the most well-seasoned cookie sheets. So I use a silicone baking mat (these are similar
) when I make these.
The cookies come off really easily, and I’m not left scraping the pan for little bits of cookie left behind. Parchment paper would work, too.
How to make chocolate frosting
The frosting comes from a family heirloom: the first edition Betty Crocker cookbook. It was published in 1950, and belonged to my great-grandmother. The cookbook holds a collection of cooking and entertaining tips, plus hundreds of recipes.
They re-printed the same Betty Crocker cookbook
, which you can still get on Amazon. The chocolate frosting recipe is thick and fudge-like—perfect for these cookies!
To make the frosting, melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second intervals.
Using a handheld mixer, mix in the vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar until combined.
Once the cookies are cool, frost them with a generous amount of frosting.
Can I make Cocoa Drop Cookies in advance?
You can make Cocoa Drop Cookies several days in advance of serving them. Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container. If you want to stack them, place wax paper or plastic wrap in between the layers.
You can also freeze Cocoa Drop Cookies for up to 2 months.
Cocoa Drop Cookies: Frequently Asked Questions
To make homemade buttermilk, pour 1 tablespoon of vinegar into the bottom of a liquid measuring cup. Fill the rest of the cup with milk up to the ¾ cup line. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes, and then it’s ready to use. You will see the vinegar curdling the milk—that is a good thing! You can use any type of milk (skim, 1%, 2%, whole) and either white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar.
Yes! Simple omit the unsweetened chocolate from the frosting recipe and continue on with the instructions. You may need a little less powdered sugar. If the mixture gets too stiff, add a splash more milk until it thins to a spreadable consistency.
More Christmas cookie recipes
Cocoa Drops are part of a collection of Christmas cookie recipes from both of my grandmothers. You can find the rest here:
- Grandma’s Rum Balls
- Grandma’s Do-Re-Mi Cookies
- Grandma’s Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread
- Grandma’s Classic Ginger Cookies
- Grandma’s Snowball Cookies
- Grandma’s Schnitzer Doodles (Snickerdoodles)
- Easy Sour Cream Cookies
- Old Fashioned Spritz Cookies
- Poinsettia Cookies
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Grandma’s Cocoa Drop Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup buttermilk (see substitute in notes below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup cocoa
- 1¾ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the frosting:
- 3 oz unsweetened chocolate
- ⅓ cup (5⅓ tablespoons) butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
- Turn off the mixer and add the egg and vanilla. Beat until combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- With the mixer on low, add half of the buttermilk. Once it is incorporated, add half of the flour mixture. Repeat with the remaining buttermilk and flour mixture.
- Add the chopped pecans and mix until just combined. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 48 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Use a spoon to scoop out one tablespoon of dough and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving 3 inches of space between each tablespoon of dough (the cookies will spread).
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the cookies no longer look wet on top. Let sit for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Remove the cookies and place on a cooling rack.
For the frosting:
- Place the unsweetened chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments until melted.
- Place the softened butter, melted chocolate, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk in a large bowl. Use a handheld mixer to mix until it reaches frosting-like consistency and the powdered sugar is incorporated. Add an additional tablespoon of milk if the mixture looks too stiff.
Frosting the cookies:
- Use an offset spatula to spread approximately 2 tablespoons of frosting on each cookie. Serve with a tall glass of milk!
doris says
I am going to try these but use peanut butter frosting the chocolate cookies
Kate Shungu says
I love that idea!
Jewel Brown says
Recipe does not instruct when to add the vanilla. But I am sure people will know.. I have this recipe in my mother’s handwriting, written so many years ago. I enjoyed making it today.
Kate Shungu says
Thank you for catching that—I just fixed the recipe. I’m so glad that you enjoyed making it, and I love that you have it in your mother’s handwriting, too!
Jeff says
Kate – Your instructions to make homemade buttermilk have a typo that could confuse people. The recipe should mention a tablespoon of *vinegar* NOT a tablespoon of buttermilk!
Kate Shungu says
Just fixed this! Thanks for your keen eye, Jeff!
Kit says
These cookies are delicious and remind me of my mother. 🙂 We always iced them with white icing. They taste like chocolate cake. Love them!!!
Kate Shungu says
Oh, Kit, I just love hearing that! I bet they are delicious with white icing. Thanks for sharing!
Sarah says
One of the best cookie recipes I’ve ever made!
Kate Shungu says
That’s so good to hear—thank you, Sarah! They are a long-time favorite at our house. 🙂