Name: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter; 1/2 cup cocoa powder; 1 cup sugar; 4 eggs; 2 cups flour; 1 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; Powdered sugar

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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies steal the show with their cracked, powdered-sugar-dusted outer layer and soft, fudgy, brownie-like insides that almost seem to melt in your mouth.

Baking the Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

There’s just nothing quite like a warm cookie, fresh from the oven….

Especially during the holiday season.

I don’t make these on the reg, but every year when the holidays are approaching, it’s time to dig out all those fun and classic Christmas cookie recipes, and this Chocolate Crinkle cookie recipe is one of them.

They’re perfect for when you want a treat that feels a little bit fancy but is actually really simple to make. Plus, making Chocolate Crinkles is a little like a fun science experiment; you get to watch the batter puff and crack while baking!

More of our favorite holiday staple cookie recipes are Sand Tarts, Fudge Puddles, Chocolate Surprise Cookies, Snickerdoodles and Sugar Cookies. So, if you’re interested in more Mennonite style Christmas cookies, check them out!

hand holding half of a chocolate crinkle cookie

And here’s a few reasons to love these chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies:

🍫They’ve got that perfectly fudgy center and rich chocolate flavor, almost like a chewy fudge brownie. Yay for chocolate lovers (like me)!

🤎They’re eye-catching. That crinkle pattern makes for a fun and pretty cookie, perfect for Christmas cookie plates.

✨And they’re actually easy. You most likely have these common, simple ingredients in your pantry already, so all you need is a little bit of time!

Ingredients

Butter – salted butter is what I use, most times. And opt for real butter, not margarine, if possible. You won’t regret it!
Cocoa powder – unsweetened cocoa powder similar to this Aristocrat Dutch process cocoa is the best! (I get mine at the local bulk food store.) The cheaper generic cocoa powders from the grocery store don’t taste very good, in our opinion.
Sugar
Eggs
Flour – regular all-purpose flour
Salt – especially important if you do use unsalted butter. You may even want to add a little extra, in that case!
Baking powder
Vanilla extract
Powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar, 10x sugar, whatever you want to call it)

Alethea eating a chocolate crinkle cookie

Supplies we used:

Saucepan – to melt the butter
Whisk – to mix the cocoa with the butter, lump free
KitchenAid Stand Mixer – and if you don’t have an electric stand mixer, an electric hand mixer works too.
Small bowl – you’ll need a separate bowl for the powdered sugar coating step
Measuring Cups and Spoons
A spatula or two
Cookie Scoop – mine holds about 2 tablespoons of dough
A cookie sheet or two
Non-stick cooking spray (or a butter wrapper) to grease the pans
Wire racks – a cooling rack of some sort to cool those cookies

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How to make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

In a saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the cocoa, creating a smooth chocolate mixture.

Place the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), then pour the melted chocolate mixture on top and mix thoroughly. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.

Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and vanilla and mix well. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix the chocolate batter thoroughly! Cover the bowl of sticky dough with a towel or plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool for at least one hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and grease the cookie sheets.

Shape the chilled chocolate dough into balls with a cookie scoop and roll each one in powdered sugar, then place on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are puffed up and the tops are crinkled. (They’ll flatten just a little as they cool.)

freshly baked chocolate crinkle cookie still on the cookie sheets

Cool the freshly baked cookies for a few minutes on the pans before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!🤎

How to store Snickerdoodles

Store chocolate crinkles in an airtight container at room temperature for several days or freeze for up to 6 months.

Tips, Tricks & Notes

Don’t overbake! Even though the snickerdoodles may look a little under done at the 10-minute mark, I wouldn’t let them in much longer. Reason is, they’ll start to dry out if they’re baked too long.

The chill time for the cookie dough should be at least one hour or longer, overnight is ok too! The dough is sticky and can’t be handled very easily until it’s chilled. Also, chilling the dough helps the powdered sugar coating to stay nice and white while baking! Though if you see that the powdered sugar is turning a little bit yellow, you can roll the cookie dough balls in a little granulated sugar first, then follow with powdered sugar.

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More of Our Favorite Cookie Recipes

approx. 2 dozen

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies steal the show with their cracked, powdered-sugar-dusted outer layer and soft, fudgy, brownie-like insides that almost seem to melt in your mouth.