Chocolate crinkle cookies are one of the quintessential cookies of the holidays, but perfect for any time of year. The dark chocolate cookies taste like fudgy brownies, chewy on the inside and covered in powdered sugar to create the perfect crackly top on the outside. This chocolate crinkle cookie recipe is perfect for a cookie exchange and will become a family favorite.
Ingredients for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Granulated sugar – For sweetness.
- Vegetable oil – Vegetable oil rather than butter in this recipe gives these cookies and fudgy and chewy texture.
- Eggs – Large eggs, room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – A splash of vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
- All-purpose flour – Creates structure and the perfect texture.
- Dark cocoa powder – Dark unsweetened cocoa powder is a must in this recipe for a deep chocolate flavor and beautiful dark chocolate color.
- Baking powder + baking soda – Combine these leavening agents to help the cookies puff up and spread.
- Salt – To enhance the flavors and contrast the sweetness of the cookies.
- Granulated sugar + powdered sugar – A secret to getting the perfect crinkle is to first roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar (also known as confectioners’ sugar). This creates that perfect crackly look.
Tools & Supplies to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
To make these chocolate crinkle cookies, I recommend using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Here is the basic breakdown of the steps to make these cookies:
- Mix together granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Mix on low speed until a soft cookie dough forms and the flour mixture is incorporated.
- Portion the cookie dough using a small cookie scoop (about 1-inch balls). Chill the dough for about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll the chilled cookie dough balls in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking pan. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, cool the cookies on the pan for a few minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe Tips
Do not skip the chilling
Chilling the cookie dough is a must! Chilling the dough before baking does a couple things. One, it prevents the cookies from spreading too quickly and becoming flat. Two, it helps create a fudgy texture as starting off with chilled dough balls will create a soft, gooey center. I like to scoop the cookie dough with a cookie scoop, place the dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet pan, chill for one hour, then roll and bake! Take note, this cookie dough is soft and sticky, so chilling is an absolute must!
Cookie sizes
For this cookie recipe, you can use either a small, medium, or large cookie scoop to portion the cookie dough. Be aware that the different sized scoops will affect the yield and will also alter the baking times. The larger the cookie scoop, the longer the baking time will be. For these cookies, I used a small cookie scoop, and the bake time was about 8-10 minutes. For medium cookies, check around 10 minutes and for large cookies, check around 12 minutes.
Double sugar roll
As I mentioned in the ingredients, one of the keys to a perfect crackle top is to roll the cookie dough balls in two sugars: first in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar. The granulated sugar helps the powdered sugar stick to the cookies and prevents the powdered sugar from melting into the cookies. You will get a perfectly crinkly top with contrasts from the white powdered sugar and the dark chocolate cookie.
Make the cookie dough ahead of time
I am a huge fan of making cookie dough ahead of time, especially at the holidays. You can make this dough about a week before you want to bake the cookies. Portion the dough using a cookie scoop, chill the dough balls, and then store the chilled dough balls in a resealable storage bag or freezer bag in the refrigerator. When you want to bake the cookies, simply remove them from the refrigerator, roll in the sugars, and bake! You can also freeze the cookie dough balls for up to a month! Before baking, allow the cookie dough balls to thaw so they are not frozen solid, but still chilled.
Storing
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 to 4 days!
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for rolling the cookies
- ½ cup powdered sugar for rolling the cookies
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined and smooth.
- Add all-purpose flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until the cookie dough forms.
- Portion the cookie dough using a small cookie scoop and place the dough balls onto a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough for about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350° F and prepare baking sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll the chilled cookie dough balls in first in granulated sugar and then in powdered sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking pan and allow space for spreading.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes until the edges are set and appear slightly gooey in the center.
- Remove the pan from the oven, cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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