Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are soft, melt-in-your-mouth, fudgy chocolate cookies that taste like brownies with a chewy texture. The dough is rolled in a thick coating of powdered sugar and then baked, giving it that beautiful crinkled appearance.
These are one of my husband’s favorites, and they make beautiful Christmas cookies. If you like these cookies, try double-chocolate chip cookies, Andes mint cookies, and chocolate peppermint cookies.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder: You can use regular cocoa powder, but I prefer the less acidic Dutch-processed cocoa.
- Sugars: I like the balance of a little more than a 2:1 ratio of granulated sugar versus brown sugar
- Eggs: large eggs, please
- Vanilla extract: for the best flavor, stick with the pure stuff
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
- Whisk your flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Combine the Dutch cocoa, sugars, and canola oil in a medium bowl. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion the cookie dough. Roll the dough balls in confectioners’ sugar.
- Bake the cookies. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then move the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Preparation Tips
- Cover and refrigerate the dough between batches.
- Don’t overload the baking sheets. The dough balls should be about 2-2½ inches apart.
- Roll the dough balls heavily in powdered sugar; it helps make amazing crinkles.
- Don’t over-bake the cookies. This is a soft cookie, so 10-11 minutes will do the trick.
- Handle the cookies with care. Allow them a few minutes to cool before moving to cookie-cooling wire racks.
- Run a cookie practice run. Bake one or two cookies to establish the optimum baking time and ensure they do not spread too much.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dutch-process cocoa powder is treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity, resulting in a darker color and a more mellow chocolate flavor. You can easily substitute regular cocoa in this recipe; however, add 3/4 of a teaspoon of baking soda to give it a milder, less acidic flavor.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies freeze well. Cool the cookies thoroughly before freezing. Use a sturdy freezer container and place wax or parchment paper between the layers. For added protection, place the cookies in freezer bags in a single layer, removing as much air as possible, and place the bags in a freezer container.
Always use the correct amount of flour. If the flour or cocoa has been sitting for quite some time, stir to loosen it. Spoon the flour or cocoa into the measuring cup. Now, using the back edge of a table knife, level it off, pushing the excess back into the canister.
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More Cookie Recipes
Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa, sugar, brown sugar, and canola oil. Beat eggs in one at a time and stir in the vanilla.
- Slowly stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture. Once combined, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes.
- Using a cookie scoop and your hands, roll 1¼-inch cookie dough balls. Roll each ball in powdered sugar and place them on the prepared cookie sheet with about 2-2½ inches between the cookie dough balls. Bake for 10-11 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes before moving them to cookie-cooling racks.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freeze them in a sturdy, airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Nathan
I’m starting to plan my cookie baking for the Christmas season and this recipe just shot to the top of my list. Great cookies that the whole family enjoyed.
Sandra
These cookies are my kids favorite! I’m excited to try this recipe! Looks really good!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sandra! Enjoy!
Juliane
Crinkles are my favorite! SO glad you shared your recipe. We loved them!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Juliane! Enjoy!
Amanda
These cookies are always a huge hit. Everyone cannot get enough!
Dorothy Reinhold
I love cooking season!! These will be going on the baking list. They are such pretty cookies!
Gian
Hi! If I want to incorporate different flavors with your recipe, how would I go about it?
Thank you in advance! The cookies turned out amazing!
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked the cookies. What kinds of flavors are you referring to?
Gian Carla Marquez
Red velvet and lemon!
Makayla
Can I use a different cocoa than dutch?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can.
Stefany
Can I use something else besides Canola Oil?
Beth Pierce
Vegetable oil
Lisa
What about Coconut oil?
Beth Pierce
I have not tried coconut oil in this cookie recipe. Please let us know if you do so I can report to the readers the outcome.
Abbie
I bake anything with sunflower oil. Using any oil that isn’t canola/ vegetable oil won’t be as pungent flavored from the oil, so I highly recommend the coconut oil.
Karen
With the chocolate crinkle cookie recipe when you say add sugars do you mean both graduated sugar and powdered sugar?? I thought the powdered sugar was just to roll them in. That part was confusing.
Beth Pierce
That is a mistake. It should say sugar not sugars. It has been corrected. Thanks for the heads up!
juneal ramsdell
Making these this morning and they are turning out perfect! I mixed them up last night and chilled overnight. Thank you for the recipe.