Cute never goes out of style, and these teddy bear chocolate cookies are the perfect gift and a shareable joy for the occasion of Friendship Day. These adorable teddy cookies aren’t overly sweet or dressed up with frosting. They’re simple, solid, and slightly awkward in shape, and somehow that makes them better. You press the arms in by hand. You give them a little chocolate to hold, without rushing the whole thing. They’re soft in the middle, slightly crisp around the edges, and shaped by hand, so no two look exactly the same, kind of like friendships. So share them or gift them with friends and remind them of your love for them.
Teddy Bear Chocolate Cookies Recipe
(Makes about 18-20 cookies)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup Cadbury cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 20 small chocolate pieces (buttons, chips, or chunks)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth and creamy. You can use a spoon, whisk, or hand mixer.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually stir the dry mix into the wet mixture. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it’s too sticky, chill it for 10-15 minutes.
- Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten it slightly to form the bear’s body.
- Pinch off tiny bits of dough to form arms, legs, and ears. Press them onto the body, smoothing the edges.
- Place a chocolate button or chip on the chest and fold the “arms” over it so it looks like the bear is hugging it.
- Repeat for the rest of the dough. Leave a little space between cookies on the tray – they spread slightly.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. The edges should look set; the centers will still be soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a rack to finish cooling. They firm up as they cool.
Tips & Tricks
Getting the shape right: Don’t aim for perfection, after all, these are handmade and homemade. Slightly lopsided ears and uneven arms are perfectly okay. Use the back of a spoon handle or a toothpick to help attach arms and ears if your fingers get in the way.
- Too soft to shape? If the dough feels sticky or too loose to mold, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Chilled dough holds shape better and is easier to handle.
- Arms falling off? Press them firmly into the body and smooth the seam with your finger. A bit of water on your fingertip can help glue pieces together without cracking.
- Don’t overbake: These cookies should stay soft in the middle. If you bake them until they look fully cooked, they’ll turn dry. Pull them when the edges are firm but the centers still look slightly underdone – they’ll set as they cool.
- No chocolate buttons? Use chocolate chips, chunks, raisins, almonds, or whatever small filling you like. Just make sure it’s pressable and not too bulky. Avoid anything too melty (like filled chocolates), or it’ll leak.
- Want crispier edges? Flatten the dough balls a bit more before baking and leave them in for an extra minute. For chewier centers, don’t flatten much and stick to 8 minutes.
- Storing: Keep them in an airtight container at room temp. Good for 3-4 days. You can also freeze unbaked shaped dough and bake straight from frozen – just add 1 extra minute to the bake time.
- Make-ahead tip: Shape all your bears, line them up on a tray, and freeze them raw. Once solid, transfer to a container. You can bake fresh batches on demand – ideal if you’re gifting or bringing them over in shifts.
- Want cleaner details? Use a small straw to punch eye holes, or press in mini chocolate chips for eyes after baking, while the cookies are still warm. Don’t try to pipe faces unless you want a batch of haunted teddy bears.