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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
If you’re craving a cookie that’s fudgy like a brownie, pretty enough for a party, and easy enough for a weeknight, this Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe is exactly what you need. These classic crackle top cookies are rich, chewy, rolled in powdered sugar, and perfect for Christmas cookie trays—or honestly, any Tuesday.
What Makes This Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe So Special?
Chocolate crinkle cookies are those beautiful, crackled chocolate cookies you see on holiday dessert tables and in old church cookbooks. They bake up with a soft, brownie-like center and a crisp, powdered sugar shell that naturally fractures into that snow-dusted “crinkle” pattern.
What I love about this particular Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe is that it gives you deep chocolate flavor, a tender center, and that dramatic crackle surface every single time—without fussy steps or fancy equipment. A bowl, a whisk, a baking sheet, and a little patience while the dough chills. That’s it.
I’ve been making some version of these chewy chocolate cookies since the late ’90s, when my kids were little and we needed treats that traveled well to classroom parties. Over the years, I’ve tested different cocoa powders, chilling times, and sugar coatings. This version is the one my now-grown kids still ask for every Christmas, and it’s the recipe I bring to neighbors when I want something classic, homemade, and comforting.
They’re a true holiday cookie recipe favorite, but don’t box them in. I bake them for bake sales, game nights, and “just because it’s raining” afternoons. If you’re building a festive cookie recipe collection or just looking for an easy chocolate cookie recipe that never fails, this one belongs in your folder.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Deep, brownie-like flavor – These fudgy chocolate cookies taste like the chewy edge pieces of a brownie pan, in cookie form.
- Beautiful “snowy” crackle tops – The powdered sugar coating bakes into those classic crackle top cookies everyone recognizes on a Christmas cookie platter.
- Simple pantry ingredients – Cocoa powder, sugar, oil, eggs, flour—nothing fancy, just things you likely already have.
- No mixer needed – A whisk and a wooden spoon are enough; perfect if you don’t feel like hauling out the stand mixer.
- Make-ahead friendly – The dough needs to chill anyway, so it fits right into busy holiday schedules and weekend baking plans.
- Great for gifting – These hold their shape, travel well, and look gorgeous in cookie boxes or tins for teachers, neighbors, and co-workers.
- Easy to customize – Add espresso powder, orange zest, or even peppermint for a festive twist on the classic cookie recipe.
- Kid-helper approved – Rolling the dough in powdered sugar is a fun, slightly messy job that kids love helping with.
Ingredients for the Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Let’s walk through what you’ll need for this homemade chocolate cookies batch. I’ll add a few notes so you can tweak based on what you have in your pantry.
- 1 cup (85 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- Use a good-quality natural cocoa powder like Hershey’s, Ghirardelli, or Guittard. Dutch-process will work, but the flavor will be a bit smoother and less sharp.
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- Regular white sugar works perfectly here. This is what gives that shiny, brownie-like top.
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil
- Vegetable, canola, or light olive oil (not extra-virgin) all work. Oil keeps these fudgy and soft longer than butter alone.
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- Room-temp eggs mix more easily and help the dough hydrate evenly. If you forget, just place cold eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- A good vanilla rounds out the chocolate. I usually use Nielsen-Massey or the big bottle from Costco.
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- Spoon and level your flour so you don’t pack too much. Too much flour means dry cookies instead of chewy chocolate cookies.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- This helps the cookies puff and crackle. Make sure it’s fresh—if it’s more than a year old, test it or buy a new tin.
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- Salt might seem small, but it keeps your chocolate dessert recipe from tasting flat or too sweet.
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional but highly recommended)
- This doesn’t make the cookies taste like coffee; it just deepens the chocolate flavor. King Arthur sells a nice one, or you can use any instant espresso.
- 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar, plus extra as needed
- Also called confectioners’ sugar. Make sure it’s lump-free; sift if needed so it coats the dough balls evenly.
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for rolling (optional but helpful)
- Rolling the dough first in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar helps keep the white coating bright and prevents it from melting into the cookie.
If you’re baking gluten-free, you can try a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend in place of the all-purpose flour. Just know that your texture may be slightly different—still tasty, just a bit more tender.
Step-by-Step Directions: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
1. Mix the cocoa, sugar, and oil
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and granulated sugar until no clumps of cocoa remain. Add the oil and whisk until the mixture looks shiny and thick, almost like wet sand turning into a paste. This helps the cocoa “bloom,” which gives you deeper chocolate flavor.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla
Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each egg, until the batter looks smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract. At this point, the mixture should look like thick brownie batter. If you see streaks of egg, keep whisking until everything is fully blended.
3. Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and instant espresso powder (if using). Mixing these dry ingredients together first helps spread the baking powder evenly, so all your cookies rise and crackle the same way.
4. Stir the dry into the wet
Switch to a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the cocoa mixture in two or three additions. The dough will start out loose and then quickly turn into a very thick, sticky dough—almost like a soft fudge. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so no dry bits hide down there.
5. Chill the dough (don’t skip this!)
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a reusable bowl cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. The dough needs to chill so it firms up enough to roll, and so the cookies don’t spread too much in the oven. If the dough is too warm, you’ll get flat cookies with less of that dramatic crackle top.
Tip: If your fridge runs very cold, let the chilled dough sit on the counter for 5–10 minutes before scooping so it’s easier to work with.
6. Preheat the oven and prepare the pans
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This keeps the bottoms from over-browning and makes cleanup easy.
Place the extra 1/4 cup granulated sugar in one shallow bowl and the powdered sugar in another. You’re setting up a little rolling station.
7. Shape the dough
Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons) or a spoon, scoop out portions of dough and roll them quickly between your palms to make smooth balls. The dough will be sticky but should hold together. If it’s too sticky to handle, pop it back in the fridge for 15 minutes.
8. Roll in sugar—twice
Roll each dough ball first in the granulated sugar, coating it all over. Then place it in the powdered sugar and roll again generously. You want a thick blanket of powdered sugar; this is what creates that white “snowy” look against the dark chocolate.
Set the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. These cookies spread a bit but not as much as some drop cookies.
9. Bake until puffed and crackled
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed, the tops are cracked, and the edges look just set. The centers should still look slightly soft and a bit underdone—that’s how you get fudgy chocolate cookies instead of dry ones.
A little tip from years of watching these: if they look dry all the way across the top, you’ve gone a bit too far.
10. Cool on the pan, then move to a rack
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; they’ll firm up as they sit. Then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The powdered sugar will set into those pretty, snowy crevices.
Now, take one while it’s still slightly warm, break it open, and enjoy that soft, brownie-like center. That’s the magic right there.
Servings & Timing
- Yield: About 30–36 cookies (depending on scoop size)
- Prep Time: 20 minutes active prep
- Chill Time: 2 hours (or up to 24 hours)
- Bake Time: 10–12 minutes per batch
- Total Time: About 2 hours 40 minutes (most of that is hands-off chilling)
If you’re planning a big holiday cookie recipe bake-a-thon, you can mix this dough first, chill it while you bake other cookies (like sugar cookies or peanut butter blossoms), and then come back to it later in the day. It fits nicely into a busy kitchen schedule.
Fun Variations on This Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
You know what? Classic is wonderful, but sometimes it’s fun to play around a bit. Here are some easy twists:
- Peppermint Crinkle Cookies – Stir in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and sprinkle a few crushed candy canes over the warm cookies.
- Mocha Crinkle Cookies – Double the espresso powder and add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips for a coffeehouse-style chocolate cookie recipe.
- Orange-Chocolate Crinkles – Add 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest to the wet ingredients for a bright holiday spin that pairs beautifully with cocoa.
- Spiced Holiday Crinkles – Mix 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg into the dry ingredients for a cozy, festive cookie recipe.
- Gluten-Free Crinkles – Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend; chill the dough well and bake on parchment for best structure.
- Extra-Fudgy Crinkles – Stir in 3/4 cup dark chocolate chunks right before chilling for even more gooey chocolate pockets.
How to Store, Freeze, and Make Ahead
Chocolate crinkle cookies are very forgiving, which is a relief during the holiday rush. Here’s how to keep them tasting fresh:
-
Room Temperature Storage
- Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4–5 days.
- If stacking, place a piece of parchment paper between layers to protect the powdered sugar coating.
-
Freezing Baked Cookies
- Place cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container.
- They’ll keep well for up to 2 months. The powdered sugar may dull slightly, but they’ll still taste wonderful.
-
Freezing Cookie Dough Balls
- After rolling dough into balls (before the sugar coating), freeze them on a baking sheet until solid.
- Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
- When ready to bake, let them sit for 5–10 minutes so the surface softens, then roll in granulated sugar and powdered sugar and bake. You may need to add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
-
Make-Ahead Tips
- You can mix the dough and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours before rolling and baking.
- This is perfect if you’re spreading your Christmas cookie recipe baking over a weekend and don’t want everything happening in one day.
If you’re building cookie trays, I like to bake these the day before I plan to serve or gift them. They hold up well but still taste freshly baked.
Notes from My Kitchen (Little Things That Make a Big Difference)
- Don’t skip the chill time. This is the number-one way to guarantee that “crinkle” look and a chewy center. Warm dough will spread too much and give you flatter cookies.
- Use good cocoa. Since cocoa powder is the heart of this chocolate dessert recipe, better cocoa really does make better cookies. You don’t need anything fancy, but something you enjoy in brownies will shine here too.
- Double rolling is your friend. Rolling in granulated sugar first, then powdered sugar, keeps the white coating from melting into the cookie surface as it bakes. It’s a small step with a big visual payoff.
- Watch your bake time. In my oven, 11 minutes is the sweet spot. Your oven might run a bit hotter or cooler, so check the first batch at 10 minutes. You want set edges and a slightly soft center.
- Batch size matters. If you bake two sheets at once, rotate them halfway through—front to back, and top rack to bottom rack—for even baking.
- Let them cool on the pan first. They’re fragile when they’re piping hot; that 5-minute rest on the hot sheet helps them finish setting without overbaking.
Honestly, these are the kind of cookies that reward paying attention to the small details—but they still forgive you if you’re juggling kids, pets, and a ringing phone while you bake.
FAQs About Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
1. Why didn’t my cookies crack on top?
Usually this means the dough wasn’t chilled enough or the oven wasn’t hot enough. Make sure you chill the dough thoroughly and preheat your oven fully before baking.
2. My powdered sugar melted into the cookies—what happened?
That can happen if the dough is too warm or if you use too thin a coat of powdered sugar. Roll the dough first in granulated sugar, then in a thick layer of powdered sugar right before baking.
3. Can I make this Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe with butter instead of oil?
You can, but the texture changes. Butter gives more flavor but can make the cookies a bit cakier and less fudgy. If you swap, use 1/2 cup melted and slightly cooled unsalted butter.
4. Do I really need to use espresso powder?
No, but it does enhance the chocolate flavor. If you don’t have it or don’t like coffee in anything, you can leave it out and still get delicious, rich homemade chocolate cookies.
5. How do I keep these cookies soft for several days?
Store them in an airtight container and add a small piece of sandwich bread or a sugar cube inside the container. The cookies absorb just enough moisture to stay soft while the bread dries out.
6. Can I make these as larger cookies?
Yes—use a bigger scoop (about 2 tablespoons), but increase the bake time by 1–3 minutes. Watch carefully so they stay fudgy in the middle.
7. Are these good for Christmas cookie exchanges?
They’re excellent for exchanges. They stand out on the table, travel well, and fit perfectly with other festive cookie recipes like gingerbread men, sugar cookies, and snickerdoodles.
8. Can I add nuts or chips to the dough?
Absolutely. Fold in up to 1 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips after mixing the dough. Just keep in mind that very chunky add-ins can slightly change how much the cookies spread.
Wrapping It Up (And Packing the Cookie Tin)
This Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe gives you everything you want in a holiday cookie: rich chocolate flavor, a soft and chewy center, and that snowy, crackled top that feels like a little bit of winter magic on a plate. They’re easy enough for beginner bakers, yet special enough to earn a permanent spot in your family’s Christmas cookie recipe rotation.
If you bake these, I’d truly love to hear how they turned out for you—leave a comment, tell me if you tried any of the variations, or share how they went over at your cookie exchange. And if you’re building a baking list, try pairing these with classic sugar cookies or my favorite peanut butter blossoms for a well-rounded, festive cookie tray.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder about 85 g; natural cocoa preferred
- 2 cups granulated sugar about 400 g
- 1/2 cup neutral oil such as vegetable, canola, or light olive oil
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour about 240 g; spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder optional but recommended; enhances chocolate flavor
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar about 60 g, plus extra as needed for rolling
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar about 50 g, for rolling; optional but helps keep powdered sugar bright
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and 2 cups granulated sugar until no cocoa clumps remain. Add the oil and whisk until the mixture looks shiny and thick, like a chocolate paste. This helps “bloom” the cocoa for deeper flavor.1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup neutral oil
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the batter is smooth and glossy. Whisk in the vanilla extract. The mixture should resemble thick brownie batter with no visible egg streaks.4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and instant espresso powder (if using) until evenly combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt, 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- Switch to a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula. Add the dry ingredients to the cocoa mixture in 2–3 additions, stirring gently after each. The mixture will quickly become a very thick, sticky dough. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure no dry spots remain.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a reusable cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, until the dough is firm enough to scoop and roll. If your fridge is very cold, let the dough sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in one shallow bowl and the powdered sugar in another to create a rolling station.1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons) or a spoon, scoop portions of dough and roll quickly between your palms to form smooth balls. If the dough is too sticky to handle, return it to the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes.
- Roll each dough ball first in the granulated sugar to coat completely, then roll generously in powdered sugar to create a thick, even layer. Place the coated balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed, the tops are well crackled, and the edges look just set. The centers should still appear slightly soft and a bit underdone for a fudgy texture.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The powdered sugar will set into the cracks. Enjoy slightly warm or at room temperature.
