No holiday get-together is complete without a tried and true chocolate crinkle cookie recipe, and I am here to deliver my favorite one to you. With a stunning presentation of crackly confectioners’ sugar exteriors juxtaposed with chewy, rich chocolate centers, chocolate crinkles are eye-catching, festive cookies, and decadent!
No holiday spread is complete without these chocolate treats. They satisfy the chocolate lover on any festive occasion, all while being easy to bake and made with common pantry staples. Do yourself a favor and make a double batch; these brownie-like cookies disappear in a snap and freeze beautifully on the rare chance that you have any leftovers! If you’d like more foolproof and easy holiday cookie recipes, then check out my double chocolate chip cookies recipe, easy sugar cookies, and Oreo balls.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Cocoa Powder – natural, unsweetened cocoa powder, such as the common name brand varieties offered at major grocery stores, is the best pick for these cookies. For an extra deep chocolate flavor, opt for dark chocolate cocoa powder.
Granulated Sugar – sweetens the crinkles and helps to keep them moist and fudgy. For rich molasses undertones to the cookies, use a half-and-half mixture of white sugar and brown sugar (or ¾ cup of each).
Vegetable Oil – a neutral-flavored cooking oil like vegetable oil is best, though canola oil or grapeseed oil can substitute if necessary. Always check your cooking oil’s expiration date to ensure that it is fresh and only use oil that smells neutral or sweet.
Vanilla Extract – for superior flavor, use pure vanilla extract.
Powdered sugar – also called confectioner’s sugar, this powdery sugar coated on the outside of the dough balls is what gives chocolate crinkle cookies their signature appearance.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
1. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and oil. Beat on a medium speed until well combined and shiny.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well combined. Beat in the vanilla.
3. Combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to combine.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until the flour mixture is fully incorporated.
5. Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Once the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop the chilled dough and roll it into roughly 1-inch balls.
6. Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar until well coated and place on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are firm and the center is puffed but still appears slightly wet. Allow the crinkle cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Sugar Coat The Cookies Just Before Baking
Only coat as many dough balls as you can fit on the baking sheets at one time. Otherwise, the cookie dough will absorb the powdered sugar coating as they sit before going in the oven, and can actually create a hard shell, keeping the cookies from spreading or crinkling in the oven. Refrigerate the remaining cookie dough balls and roll in powdered sugar just before baking.
For an extra crisp sugar coating, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar first, then in the powdered sugar! This helps the powdered sugar adhere to the cookie dough better and produces a crisp, sugary shell on the exterior.
Can I Freeze These Cookies?
To freeze unbaked cookies: Roll the dough into balls and place them on a lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. I recommend separating layers with parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. Thaw in the fridge for two hours before sugar coating and baking.
To freeze baked cookies: Arrange single layers of cookies with parchment paper between them in a freezer container. The cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen cookies in the fridge or at room temperature.
Can I Make These Ahead Of Time?
Yes, crinkle cookies stay delicious and fudgy for a few days after baking. They are a great option for baking and adding to cookie tins for gifting alongside spritz cookies, Linzer cookies, or Mexican wedding cookies.
You can also make the dough and chill it for up to 2 days before rolling and baking, making this recipe a fantastic one to make ahead of time during the busy holiday season.
How To Store
Store leftover chocolate crinkles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Pro-Tips For Making This Recipe
- Don’t rush the chilling time. This dough is quite sticky when it’s first made, so it needs time to firm up before you can roll and coat the balls. Also, a warm dough will result in flat cookies, so don’t let it sit out too long either.
- The cookies will naturally deflate in the center when cooling. Don’t let this send you into a panic that they are underbaked! This means the cookies will be deliciously fudgy in the center.
- Add other extracts. You can add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract or orange extract to the cookie dough for a twist on flavors!
- To enhance the chocolate flavor, add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the sugar and oil mixture.
Frequently Asked Questions
For the best chocolate crinkle cookies, remove the cookies from the oven when the centers still look wet. Though they may not appear as though they are fully baked at this point, the chocolate crinkles will firm up as they cool, leaving a delightfully soft interior for the perfect fudgy chocolate cookies. Baking them much beyond this point will dry out the crinkles.
Most likely, the dough wasn’t chilled long enough, or it warmed up too much after shaping the balls. I recommend rolling all of the dough, placing it in the fridge, and then coating the dough balls with sugar when you’re ready to bake them.
Though using outdated baking powder can keep the crinkles from cracking, the most common culprit is baking the cookies in an oven that didn’t come to full temperature. Always let your oven fully preheat before baking, and use an oven thermometer to double-check if there is any doubt.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this chocolate crinkle cookie recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Video
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (100g)
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar (350g)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (120mL)
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar, cocoa powder, and oil. Beat on medium speed until well combined and shiny.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well combined. Beat in the vanilla.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, stirring to combine. Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Once the dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, scoop the chilled dough and roll into roughly one-inch balls. Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar until well coated and place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. (Only coat as many dough balls as you can fit on the baking sheets at one time. Refrigerate the remaining dough balls and roll in powdered sugar just before baking.)
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are firm and the center is puffed but still appears slightly wet. Let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Don’t rush the chilling time. This dough is quite sticky when it’s first made, so it needs time to firm up before you can roll and coat the balls. Also, a warm dough will result in flat cookies, so don’t let it sit out too long either.
- The cookies will naturally deflate in the center when cooling. Don’t let this send you into a panic that they are underbaked! This means the cookies will be deliciously fudgy in the center.
- Add other extracts. You can add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract or orange extract to the cookie dough for a twist on flavors!
- To enhance the chocolate flavor, add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the sugar and oil mixture.
Julie Craig says
I have not made these yet, but I will be for a Cookie Walk this weekend. My question is: Can I make a red velvet version of these just by adding the red food color? If so, how much food color? Would there be any other changes or additions to make them red velvet? I was planning on multiple batches of the chocolate and of the velvet. I’ve only just discovered you, but am really enjoying your videos. Many thanks!
Sarah Ward (Executive Editor, Preppy Kitchen) says
Hi Julie! These cookies have so much cocoa powder in them, I’m not sure red food coloring would ever show through. John has a red velvet cookie recipe that you could make though! You could make just the cookies (without the frosting in the middle). We haven’t tested it with a sugar coating, but I think it would work well if you want the crinkled look. If you wanted to try it, roll a couple of dough balls in powdered sugar before baking them to see how they do. https://preppykitchen.com/red-velvet-cookies/
Denise says
Great cookie recipe. One of my families favorites.
Juanita H says
I’ve made chocolate crinkles for over 49 years. This is, by far, the best chocolate crinkle recipe I’ve found and the only one I’ll make now!
Izzy says
Honestly, I am pleasantly surprised at how delicious and easy these cookies are to make. Thank you for all your amazing recipes! When I made these cookies I had to rush off to another event and just put some cling wrap on the bowl and stuck it in the fridge. When I came back ready to bake a few days later, the dough was still in great condition and the cookies came out perfectly.
Sara says
Best Chocolate cookie ever!♥ My mom been looking for something like that for years.
Cathy says
I’ve used this recipe multiple times. Always turned out puffy round and delicious.
Alicia & Sophia says
I’ve loved these cookies since the first time I make them and they’re my go to now when I have to make a large batch for an event… or to eat all myself, no judgment here!
Gabriela says
I have made these for so many occasions and they are ALWAYS gone by the end. Best Cookie Ever!
Bianca from Michigan says
Hi!
I was wondering if I added crushed peppermint to these (before rolling in powdered sugar), how much might you add? Half a cup perhaps?
Thanks so much! I look forward to making these cookies this week!
Sarah Ward (Executive Editor, Preppy Kitchen) says
The peppermint will melt in the oven and may cause the cookies to spread more than you want. We haven’t tested this, but if you want to try, I’d recommend using some creamy peppermint baking chips and keep the volume to 1/2 cup. You could also try 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract instead!
Sheila says
Made the recipe as written…otherwise, how can I rate the actual recipe? My husband calls them “crack” cookies. 48 cookies gone in 1 night, just him, by himself
Cheri says
These are amazing! I was so tickled when I took them out of the oven and they looked perfect. They tasted even better!! Thank you so much, these are delish!!