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These easy chocolate crinkle cookies are my go-to treat for any occasion! I love their chewy, fudgy centers and crackled powdered sugar coating, and they’re so simple to make, they’re always a hit. Follow this easy recipe with a step-by-step video and bake your own crinkle chocolate cookies at home.
Table of Contents
Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Chocolate crinkle cookies are a holiday favorite, right alongside Butter Cookies, Spritz Cookies and Melting Moments Cookies. They’re easy to make, beginner-friendly, and always turn out perfectly.
I love their cracked tops and the contrast of the powdery white sugar against the rich, dark cocoa. The texture is what makes them stand out—soft, moist, and chewy, just like a brownie.
These cookies aren’t just delicious; they’re also a beautiful addition to any holiday cookie platter and make thoughtful homemade gifts for friends, family, and neighbors. If you’re looking for an easy, fail-proof recipe that delivers the best chocolate crinkle cookies, this is it! Don’t forget to check out the tips below to make these cookies the best they can be!
Why This Recipe Is The Best
My old-fashioned chocolate crinkle cookies are the best because:
- Chewy and fudgy texture. These crinkle chocolate cookies have that perfect brownie-like chewiness that makes every bite totally satisfying.
- Made with butter. My crinkle cookies are made with butter, giving them that rich, chocolate-y flavor that’s just irresistible.
- Signature cracked look. The powdered sugar coating adds a gorgeous contrast against the dark cocoa, creating those signature cracks everyone loves.
- Newbie-friendly. This recipe is super easy to follow and guarantees delicious results every time. The recipe video and tips below are here to help you achieve the best results!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – For the best results, it’s important to use a good quality cocoa powder—brands like Valrhona, Ghirardelli, or Guittard are known for their rich, fudgy flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter – Use room temperature butter.
- Eggs – Use room temperature eggs for the best results. If you forget to take them out ahead of time, no worries! Just pop them in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes before using.
- Vanilla extract – I wouldn’t recommend using vanilla essence—it just doesn’t have the same rich, natural flavor as pure vanilla extract. To make the cookies extra festive, substitute the vanilla extract with peppermint extract to make chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies.
- Salt
- Baking powder
- All-purpose flour
- Powdered sugar
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cocoa, granulated sugar, and butter (or oil) on medium speed. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined.
Step 2: Mix in the remaining ingredients in the order listed, except for the powdered sugar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and coat them with powdered sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
Step 4: Bake for 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to rest on the hot cookie sheet for 1 minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Secrets To The Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- I use high-quality cocoa powder, like Valrhona, Ghirardelli, or Guittard, for a rich, fudgy flavor. Avoid Dutch-process cocoa, as it may alter the taste.
- To get the cookies extra white with powdered sugar, I coat each dough ball generously before baking. This thick layer ensures the powdered sugar won’t absorb during bake time, keeping the cookies bright and giving them that perfect cracked appearance.
- Chilling the dough in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours helps firm it up, making it easier to roll into balls and ensures a better crack in the cookies.
- I let them cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack. This prevents them from breaking apart and helps them set properly.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, margarine is not recommended for this recipe. It doesn’t provide the same rich, buttery flavor as butter, and the cookies may spread more when baking.
You can certainly make the cookies with a store-bought cake mix and brownie mix, but this recipe is so easy that you don’t really have to buy packaged cake mix.
Yes, you can use unsweetened chocolate to replace cocoa powder in the recipe. If you use real chocolate, just melt the chocolate in a microwave, for about 1 minute. Stir the melted chocolate after 1 minute. If the chocolate hasn’t melted smoothly, heat in the microwave for another 10 seconds.
I don’t recommend freezing these cookies, especially after they are dusted with powdered sugar. If you have to freeze them, do not dust powdered sugar before baking in the oven. To serve frozen cookies, heat them up in a toaster oven and then dust with powdered sugar. I recommend storing the cookies in an air-tight container, at room temperature for up to a week.
This recipe is only 48 calories per cookie.
What To Serve With This Recipe
Serve the cookies with other festive desserts and cookies. I recommend the following recipes.
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Cookie Recipes You Might Like
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , preferred or oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cocoa, granulated sugar, and butter (or oil) on medium speed. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing until combined.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients in the order listed, except for the powdered sugar. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and coat them with powdered sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to rest on the hot cookie sheet for 1 minute before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- I use high-quality cocoa powder, like Valrhona, Ghirardelli, or Guittard, for a rich, fudgy flavor. Avoid Dutch-process cocoa, as it may alter the taste.
- To get the cookies extra white with powdered sugar, I coat each dough ball generously before baking. This thick layer ensures the powdered sugar won’t absorb during bake time, keeping the cookies bright and giving them that perfect cracked appearance.
- Chilling the dough in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours helps firm it up, making it easier to roll into balls and ensures a better crack in the cookies.
- I let them cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to a wire rack. This prevents them from breaking apart and helps them set properly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just made the recipe and put in the fridge. Is it suppose to be a dough consistency or no?
I’m new at baking. I’ve made these 3 times in the last two weeks for various Christmas functions. They were a hit each time and all the compliments have given me confidence to try new recipes soon. Thanks so much.
Also FYI to people trying these
I used butter. My cookies were never flat and the 4 hour chill time is super important !!
Thanks for trying the chocolate crinkle cookies recipe.
Best cookie recipe. They turned out so good and pretty as a picture. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Awww thanks Pamela, I am so glad you like this chocolate crinkle cookies.
At the end of your recipe, you noted for more prominent results, coat with more powered sugar. Sorry to sound stupid, but is that before or after cooking? Thanks! Can’t wait to try!
After baking.
Trixie. Sounds like your make up receipt was a flop that is why you need to follow receipts and have the correct ingredients. Sorry
I only had a half cup of cocoa powder so I used that and added 2 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate, I didn’t have salted butter so I added more salt and used shortening instead, I used brown sugar as I did not have granulated, I had to take the cookies with me to a picnic so didn’t really have a lot of time to let them sit in the fridge, and I lowered the oven temperature so as not to burn the cookies, and when they came out the oven, I dusted them heavily with the powdered sugar but it still all melted into the cookies. After letting the cookies cool for awhile they were more of a grainy fudge consistency and tasted awful! I can’t figure out what went wrong? I ended up having to buy Oreos for the picnic. I wasted all my time and ingredients and I am so very disappointed. Maybe I will actually follow the recipe exactly as written next time and see if that works any better.
My dough was stcky too. I tried rolling them after 4 hrs in the fridge and over night. The dough was too stcky to roll so I just used 2 spoons and sprinkled the powdered sugar on top.
Next time I’ll add a little more flour and maybe use butter instead of oil.
The dough is meant to be sticky.
I used the exact measurements as described in the recipe but my dough is quiet moist which makes it very difficult to roll. I’ve put back the dough in the fridge I will try again tomorrow. However what might have caused my dough to not get stiff enough?
I tried this and my batter is more powdery then I would have thought it would be! Anyone else have this happen?? More like sand, is that correct?
I’ve found the dough to be slightly grainy from this but following the directions (I used butter) and the results have been amazing each time. (3 batches to date).
What happens if you leave the dough in the fridge longer than 4 hours?