As these Texas sheet cake cookies bake, the dough settles into soft, cocoa-rich rounds whose centers stay tender while the edges set with a faint chew. The warm cookies meet a stovetop chocolate frosting that loosens over heat, then tightens into a glossy, thin shell as it cools. That quick pour-over finish mimics the classic Texas sheet cake, but in a tender southern dessert cookie. They go perfectly with a glass of cold milk or nestled into a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
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Steps + Photos to make this recipe for Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
Step 1:
Gather your ingredients and equipment, but don’t preheat the oven yet.
Steps 2 – 4:
Whisk together the melted butter and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar; beat on medium speed until combined. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated.
Steps 5 & 6:
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 45 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, start preheating your oven.
Step 7:
Roll the chilled dough into 1.5-inch dough balls and set on ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 8–10 minutes, just until set.
Step 8:
While the cookies bake, melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Whisk in milk and cocoa powder until smooth. Add powdered sugar and whisk until incorporated; turn heat to low and continue whisking.
Step 9:
Spoon warm glaze over hot cookies. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving to give the glaze time to set into a crust.
Tips for Success
- Whole milk gives the frosting the right viscosity and shine.
- Whisk the frosting vigorously if lumps remain—add to a small saucepan on low heat to help dissolve them, but stop after about 1 minute to avoid overcooking.
- Chill the dough fully so the cookies hold shape in the oven.
- Remove cookies from the oven while they still look slightly soft; they’ll firm up as they cool.
- Spoon the frosting immediately over hot cookies so it spreads into an even glaze.
This is Willow. Cookie inspector and shower enthusiast. Not taking questions at this time. Talk to her assistant, Kelli H.
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Homemade Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 c butter (two sticks) melted
- ½ c unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 c brown sugar, packed
- ½ c granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 t baking soda
- ½ t salt
Chocolate Glaze
- ½ c (1 stick) butter
- 3 T milk
- 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 2 c powdered sugar
Instructions
For the cookie dough:
- You won't need to preheat right away, since this dough will need to chill first. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and cocoa powder.
- Add brown sugar and granulated sugar; beat on medium speed until combined.
- Add eggs and vanilla; beat until incorporated. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the wet mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Roll dough into 1.5-in balls and place on ungreased baking sheets, 2 in apart.
- Bake 8–10 minutes, until set.
For the chocolate glaze:
- While the cookies bake: Melt ½ c butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add milk and cocoa powder; whisk until smooth.
- Whisk in powdered sugar until incorporated. If lumpy, continue whisking over heat for up to 1 minute. The glaze will thicken but remain spoonable.
- Spoon frosting over hot cookies. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
The bottom line
These Texas sheet cake cookies, with their soft cocoa centers and warm pour-over chocolate glaze, behave like the classic potluck dessert but as handy baked chocolate treats. They cool into a thin, tender crust that clings to the cookie and holds the aroma of warm cocoa and butter. Bake a tray of these easy chocolate cookies when you want the character of a sheet cake without heating the whole kitchen, or nestle them into bowls of vanilla ice cream for a quick, nostalgic finish.
