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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are fudgy and soft and a favorite for the holidays! With a crackly finish, these classic cookies are pretty and so easy to make.
Load up your Christmas cookie trays with these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and some of our other cookie favorites like Peanut Butter Blossoms, Eggnog Cookies, and Christmas Cheesecake Cookies.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Fudgy and Soft – These easy cookies have the best of both worlds. Fudgy and soft on the inside like brownies, with a beautiful finish on the outside.
- Crackly Finish – I love how pretty these cookies turn out! The crackled outer shell is easy to achieve, just roll the cookie dough in powdered sugar and bake for that beautiful exterior.
- Perfect for Holidays or Year Round – While these go perfectly on any Christmas cookie tray, they are also delicious any time of the year.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
Ingredient Notes
- Cocoa Powder – Use good quality cocoa powder (not Dutch process).
- Eggs and Butter – Make sure these are at room temperature before mixing the cookie dough together.
How To Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
- Mix the wet ingredients – Start with room temperature ingredients (butter and eggs) to ensure that everything mixes together well. Beat the butter, add the sugars, then the cocoa powder, then the eggs and vanilla until everything is well incorporated.
- Mix the dry ingredients – Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda separately to ensure everything is well distributed. Stir into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Chill the dough – Don’t skip this step! Make sure to chill the dough for at least 20 minutes or up to 1 hour. I prefer to chill for an hour as this will help make the dough easier to roll, and will result in a thicker cookie with less spreading.
- Roll cookies in powdered sugar – Form 1-inch cookie balls and roll them around in the powdered sugar. I recommend using a cookie scoop so all of your dough is evenly portioned for cookies of the same size. Once the balls are formed and rolled in the sugar, there is no need to press them down; they will flatten into shape as they bake. Place 2 inches apart evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Give them plenty of room on the baking sheet to spread out – 9 per sheet is good.
- Bake the cookies – Use the recommended time as a guide; they may look a little wet when you pull them out of the oven, but they will firm up and be nice and fudgy in the center. Actual time can vary by oven. Baking them for too long will result in a firmer center that’s not as fudgy.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Cookies
Storage – These cookies are best when fresh and enjoyed within a couple of days. They can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing – These cookies are perfect for freezing for later. Let the cookies cool completely, then freeze in single layers with sheets of parchment paper between each layer, for up to 4 months.
To freeze unbaked dough, first let the dough chill, then roll into balls and chill again. Freeze in resealable freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling in powdered sugar and baking.
Recipe Tips
- Double the Chocolate by adding half a cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter.
- Why are my cookies flat? If your crinkle cookies fall flat, there could be a few reasons. The number one culprit is not chilling the dough enough. Warm dough tends to spread quicker, causing your cookies to flatten. Likewise, if you don’t give your baking sheets time to cool between batches, the dough will melt, and cookies will spread.
- Why did my cookies get hard? Over time, the moisture in cookies and other soft baked goods evaporates, and they harden. Eating or freezing them within a couple of days is best. This is why this recipe has a little brown sugar – it helps the cookies stay soft a little longer.
- For larger cookies, bake a little longer (they won’t be as thick).
More Cookie Recipes
- Christmas Magic Layer Brownie Bars
- Ricotta Cookies
- Rocky Road Cookies
- Candy Cane Cookies
- Crockpot Candy
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons Butter room temperature
- ¾ cup Granulated sugar
- ¼ cup Brown sugar
- ¾ cup Cocoa powder not Dutch process
- 2 Large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy; about 2-3 minutes. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat again until light and fluffy; about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the cocoa powder until smooth.
- Stir in the the eggs and vanilla until well incorporated.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the wet ingredients just until combined, then cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper silicone mats and set aside.
- Using a cookie scoop or your hands form 1-inch cookie balls and roll them around in the powdered sugar. Place 2-inches apart evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the tops have cracked and the dark brown parts only look slightly wet (they will still jiggle, but once cooled they will firm up). Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then remove them and let them cool on a cookie cooling rack for 5 more minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Best Christmas cookie! But don’t forget the vanilla- it’s not mentioned in the steps
Thanks for catching that – I’ve updated the recipe card. Glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Do these freeze well?
Yes, you can freeze them. The powdered sugar may disappear a little but they still taste great.