Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are perfect for your upcoming holiday cookie exchange! Fudgy, brownie-like insides with a powdered sugar crinkle shell make these cookies unforgettably good. Sweet and oh so indulgent, these festive cookies are a must-make for the holiday season!
Looking for more holiday cookie ideas? Try these delicious Gingerbread Cookies, Hot Cocoa Cookies, or this Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
If you’ve never had a Chocolate Crinkle Cookie, you’ve been missing out! These little treats are the best mixture of brownie and cookie. Their fudgy, gooey insides are just like a rich brownie but the outsides are crispy like a cookie. Every bite is the best of both worlds! The powdered sugar crinkles make these cookies look fun and festive and are a fabulous addition to any dessert platter for the holidays!
More Decadent Chocolate Cookie Recipes
- No Bake Cookies
- Flourless Chocolate Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Rocky Road Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe Ingredients
Fudgy on the inside with a powdered sugar crackle finish, these cookies are always a favorite. As always, you can find the full printable recipe with complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need…
- all-purpose flour – Spooned and leveled.
- baking powder – So your cookies aren’t too flat.
- salt – Just a pinch to bring out the richness of the chocolate.
- granulated sugar – For the perfect amount of sweetness.
- vegetable oil – Or any light oil you prefer.
- unsweetened cocoa powder – I used half Dutch process cocoa and half unsweetened cocoa but use can use all of one if you prefer.
- eggs – 2 large at room temperature.
- vanilla extract – For warmth and flavor. Use my homemade vanilla extract or a high quality store bought vanilla extract for best results.
- powdered sugar – For rolling the cookie dough in.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Use a stand mixer to beat the granulated sugar and vegetable oil on medium speed until smooth.
- Add in the unsweetened cocoa powder until fully incorporated.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth once more.
- Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture a little at a time on low speed. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. It should be firm enough to handle.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl.
- Scoop 1-1 ½ tablespoons of cookie dough at a time and roll into balls. Roll each cookie dough ball gently in the powdered sugar until fully coated. Place on the baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake the crinkle cookies for 10-12 minutes. Don’t overbake.
- Cool the cookies on their baking sheet for a couple minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Let the cookies cool completely, serve, and enjoy!
Trish’s Tips and Tricks
- For extra chocolate flavor, add in mini chocolate chips to your dough.
- Looking for a fresh, minty, winter take? Instead of vanilla (or in addition) use peppermint extract.
- To really deepen the chocolatey taste, mix in a dash of espresso powder with the other dry ingredients.
- Add in pecans, dried cranberries, or shredded coconut for extra texture.
- Orange extract can be used for a slight citrus flavor as well.
Storage Information
These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week!
You can freeze these cookies prior to baking. Make the dough as directed and form into balls. Don’t roll them in the powdered sugar. Store the plain dough balls in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, thaw the dough in your fridge for 30 minutes (so it’s still cool enough to handle but not frozen anymore), roll in powdered sugar, and bake as directed.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies FAQs
Why Did My Cookie Fall Flat?
If your cookies have spread out while baking too much and wound up flat, it’s likely that the flour wasn’t measured correctly. It’s important to get the measurement correct and to level off the flour in the measuring cup before adding it to your dough. It could also be that the dough wasn’t chilled enough and it was too soft going into the oven.
How Long Does The Dough Need To Chill?
Chilling the dough is a very important step. It should be chilled for at least 4 hours or even overnight to allow the flavors to develop and to get the dough to set. You can expedite the process by placing the dough in the freezer for an hour or so but be careful the dough doesn’t start to freeze solid.
More Festive Christmas Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- No Bake Cookies
- Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Perfect Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
How To Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder I used ⅓ cup dutch process cocoa and ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar for rolling the cookies in
Instructions
- Whisk together all purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, beat the granulated sugar and vegetable oil together on medium speed until smooth.
- Mix in the unsweetened cocoa powder until completely combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, in two or three batches on low speed just until combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between each addition.
- Transfer the dough to an airtight container or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least four hours or until firm enough to handle.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Place the powdered sugar in a small, shallow bowl.
- Scoop 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of the cookie dough and use your hands to roll into balls. Carefully roll the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar until completely coated and place on the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, being careful not to overbake.
- Allow cookies to sit on the baking sheet for two to three minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
We have been making Chocolate Crinkles for years! It was one of my daughter's favorite cookies to make when she was growing up. My recipe is a little different, though. It calls for cocoa instead of baking squares. Love them!!
I have made these before. They are excellent!
They were so GOOD! And gone very quickly! YUMMY!!!!! And you pictures of the cowboy cookies turned out great (they tasted great too).
they look amazing!! i have to try them
what a pretty cookie! they tasty too 😀
Delish!! I love the look of them as well! Thank you for sharing!! 😀
~Terrell @ FFD~
Thanks for uploading the recipe. These look great and I'm sure they taste amazing too 😀
a glass of milk and I'm set.
yummy! looks delicious!!
Rosilet
Yum! Chocolate Crinkles are a favorite of mine! Thanks for posting!