I can’t wait to share my Chewy Crinkle Cookies, a holiday staple that’s crisp on the outside, fudgy in the center, and surprisingly easy to make.
I never meant to bake the Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies; it was supposed to be a quick experiment. What surprised me was how the unsweetened cocoa powder sings in the dough and how the outside shatters into that powdered maze from rolling in confectioners sugar.
People keep saying they want the Chewy Crinkle Cookies version and yeah, these are that, but with a little more mystery to them. I cant tell you every trick here but if you like crackly tops, fudgy middles and a cookie that flips holiday expectations, you might actually hide the tin from yourself.
Try one, youll see.
Ingredients
The BEST Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Dessert Recipe
- All purpose flour gives structure and carbs, not much fiber, supports chew and rise.
- Cocoa adds deep chocolate flavor, some antioxidants, low sugar but slightly bitter.
- Sugar makes cookies sweet and tender, pure carbs so watch portions.
- Eggs bind and enrich dough, add protein, fat, and help texture.
- Vegetable oil keeps cookies moist and soft, adds calories and mild flavor.
- Baking powder helps leavening and crackle formation, mostly sodium and acid that creates air bubbles.
- Vanilla lifts flavor, smells warm and rounded, tiny calories, big aroma.
- Powdered sugar gives signature white crackle coating, melts on your tongue.
Ingredient Quantities
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar (for rolling)
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. In a bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.
3. In a separate large bowl stir 1/2 cup vegetable oil with 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar until combined, then add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until there are no big streaks of flour, don’t overmix or the cookies get tough.
5. Cover the dough and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, it firms up so the cookies dont spread too much and the chocolate flavor deepens.
6. When chilled, pour 1/2 cup confectioners sugar into a small bowl. Use a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop to portion dough into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches across.
7. Roll each ball generously in the confectioners sugar so they’re well coated, for a snowier crackle you can roll them twice.
8. Place the coated balls on the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart, they will spread a bit.
9. Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the tops are set and cracked and the edges look firm but centers still feel slightly soft, they’ll firm up as they cool.
10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, and if they seem a little soft next day pop them in the oven 2 minutes to refresh.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or lightly greased)
3. Two mixing bowls, one medium and one large, you’ll use both
4. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugar, cocoa, etc.)
5. Whisk or fork for dry ingredients
6. Spatula or wooden spoon for mixing the dough
7. Small bowl for the confectioners sugar and rolling the balls
8. Tablespoon or small cookie/ice cream scoop to portion the dough
9. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storing leftovers
FAQ
The BEST Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Dessert Recipe Substitutions and Variations
The BEST Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Dessert Recipe
Here are a few fast swaps if you need them, they work great and wont ruin the cookie.
- All purpose flour: use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend that already has xanthan gum. Expect a slightly crumbly texture, chill the dough before rolling to help it hold together.
- Vegetable oil: swap with melted unsalted butter, same amount, for richer flavor. Cookies may spread a bit more so chill dough for 15 to 30 minutes before rolling.
- Eggs: make a flax egg for each large egg by mixing 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water and letting it gel. Or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for an egg free option, but the cookies will be a touch softer.
- Confectioners sugar for rolling: if you dont have powdered sugar pulse granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until very fine then sift, or use superfine caster sugar for a less white finish. If you make homemade powdered sugar add 1 tablespoon cornstarch per cup to mimic store bought.
Pro Tips
Pro tips:
1) Sift the cocoa and the confectioners sugar first, this gets rid of little lumps and makes the coating look way cleaner. If you want super white crackles roll the dough once, then toss the balls in fresh sugar again right before baking.
2) Chill the dough longer if you can, overnight is fine. It tightens the dough so the cookies dont spread, and the flavor gets deeper. If it gets rock hard take it out 10 to 15 minutes before scooping so it softens a bit and scoops easier.
3) Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling off or better yet use a kitchen scale, too much flour will make the cookies tough. Use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon for even size so they bake uniformly.
4) Don’t overbake, pull them when the edges look set but the centers still feel soft, they keep cooking on the sheet. For a flavor boost stir in a tiny pinch of instant espresso powder or swap half the oil for melted butter for a richer taste. If they go soft next day warm them in the oven a minute or two and they’ll freshen right up.
The BEST Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Dessert Recipe
I can't wait to share my Chewy Crinkle Cookies, a holiday staple that's crisp on the outside, fudgy in the center, and surprisingly easy to make.
24
servings
146
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Baking sheet (lined with parchment paper or lightly greased)
3. Two mixing bowls, one medium and one large, you’ll use both
4. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugar, cocoa, etc.)
5. Whisk or fork for dry ingredients
6. Spatula or wooden spoon for mixing the dough
7. Small bowl for the confectioners sugar and rolling the balls
8. Tablespoon or small cookie/ice cream scoop to portion the dough
9. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storing leftovers
Ingredients
-
2 cups all-purpose flour
-
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-
2 teaspoons baking powder
-
1/4 teaspoon salt
-
1/2 cup vegetable oil
-
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
-
2 large eggs
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
1/2 cup confectioners sugar (for rolling)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- In a bowl whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly mixed.
- In a separate large bowl stir 1/2 cup vegetable oil with 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar until combined, then add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until there are no big streaks of flour, don’t overmix or the cookies get tough.
- Cover the dough and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, it firms up so the cookies dont spread too much and the chocolate flavor deepens.
- When chilled, pour 1/2 cup confectioners sugar into a small bowl. Use a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop to portion dough into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches across.
- Roll each ball generously in the confectioners sugar so they’re well coated, for a snowier crackle you can roll them twice.
- Place the coated balls on the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart, they will spread a bit.
- Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the tops are set and cracked and the edges look firm but centers still feel slightly soft, they’ll firm up as they cool.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container, and if they seem a little soft next day pop them in the oven 2 minutes to refresh.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 35g
- Total number of serves: 24
- Calories: 146kcal
- Fat: 6.1g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.01g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.6g
- Monounsaturated: 2.9g
- Cholesterol: 15.5mg
- Sodium: 76mg
- Potassium: 52mg
- Carbohydrates: 21.7g
- Fiber: 1.1g
- Sugar: 13g
- Protein: 2g
- Vitamin A: 21IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 6.9mg
- Iron: 0.5mg
