I used to be so worried about what kind of desserts or cookies to make for the holidays, especially Christmas. The thought of spending hours preparing batches and making a mess in the kitchen had me dreading the holiday season.
But then, a friend suggested I try the chocolate crinkle cookies recipe, and I have never once looked back. Not only are these cookies delicious, but they also take so little time to make!
Just mixing a few ingredients from the kitchen, refrigerating the cookie dough, shoving the cookie dough in the oven, and I’m left with crunchy and crackly goodness outside with gooey and chocolatey inside.
I’ve always loved baking these cookies during the holidays, and I’m sure this recipe will become one of your favorites as well.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- There is actually no reason not to love these chocolate crinkle cookies. They are not only rich and chocolatey, but they are also a unique kind of cookies that you just can’t get enough of.
- These fudgy chocolate cookies are crispy on the outside, but when you take a full bite, you are met with a soft and delicious brownie-like texture.
- It only takes a few ingredients to make, the recipe is quite simple, and it doesn’t even take long to bake.
- With the little amount of effort you have to make to bake these cookies, you are going to be left with a lot of praise and satisfied kids.
What Are Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?
As you can already tell, these Christmas cookies are not the usual chocolate cookies you are used to. They are actually brownie-style cookies where the outside is covered in powdered sugar, with a cracked look. And you will feel like you are having both homemade brownies and crispy chocolate cookies at the same time.
You get the crinkly outer texture because you roll the cookie dough in the powdered sugar before baking. But the inside remains fudgy. These cookies are best for the holidays, as Thanksgiving, especially if you’re thinking of gifting people cookies for Christmas.
What You’ll Need: Ingredients
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The main ingredient for any chocolate cookies is cocoa powder. Make sure you get a good unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe.
- Granulated Sugar: This will make the outer cracked layer sweet while keeping the inside fudgy and moist.
- Oil: Depending on what you like, you can use any kind of oil, like vegetable oil, light olive oil, or canola oil. This will give the cookies richness and make the fudgy texture.
- Powdered Sugar: You need the powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar to make the crinkled texture on the outside of the cookies.
- Eggs: If you want the dough to have structure, you need to use eggs. This will help the cookie dough hold its shape.
- Flour: To make the base of the cookies, you should use all-purpose flour.
- Vanilla Extract: This gives the cookies a subtle vanilla flavor.
- Baking Powder: You can’t get the cookies to rise if you don’t use baking powder in the chocolate cookie batter.
- Salt: This will balance the sweetness of the cookies.
Substitute Options For The Cinnamon Muffin Recipe:
- Flour Substitute: If you want a gluten-free version of these cookies, you can use any type of flour substitute.
- Sugar: You can use either white sugar or brown sugar. But you have to use the right confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar to create the crickled outer layer.
- Dark Cocoa: You can use unsweetened dark cocoa powder instead of the usual cocoa. powder.
How to Get Perfect Crinkles
The basic ingredients of these chewy chocolate crinkle cookies are basically the same as a standard chocolate cookie dough. The only thing that makes it so different is the powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar.
When you have your cookie dough and have chilled it for long enough, you have to make it into small balls and roll the balls into the powdered sugar before putting them into the oven. That’s what creates the crunchy and crinkled exterior when you bake the cookies.
Variations & Add-Ins
- Double Chocolate: You can always add a cup of chocolate chips to create a double chocolate version of these brownie crinkle cookies.
- Mint Chocolate: If you’re into mint chocolate, you can replace the vanilla extract with mint extract. You can even add a bit of crushed candy on top of the snowy sugar coating.
- Black Forest: You can make a black forest version by adding a cup of chopped dried cranberries or cherries.
- Orange Chocolate: Replace the vanilla extract with orange extract to make orange chocolate cookies.
What to Serve With Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?
- Tea: If you love tea, you will love having these crinkle cookies with a hot cup of tea.
- Coffee: Chocolate cookies always pair well with coffee.
- Hot Chocolate: These classic Christmas cookies go perfectly with hot chocolate, with some crushed cardamom.
- Milk Latte: If you are a latte person, you will have a great time munching on these cookies with your latte.
- Warm Milk: There’s no better way to enjoy chocolate cookies than dipping them in warm milk.
Storage, Freezing & Make-Ahead Tips
- Storing: You can store and eat these cookies at room temperature for days without them going bad. Simply put them in an airtight container, and they’ll stay good for about a week. In fact, the staler these cookies get, the cruchier the outer texture becomes, making them even more delicious.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: You can keep the baked cookies in the freezer for 3 months. Just make sure you put them in an airtight container and place a sheet of paper towel or parchment paper between every layer. You can thaw them in the fridge or even at room temperature before eating.
- Freezing Cookie Dough: If you want to freeze the leftover cookie dough, you need to ball them up and keep them in the freezer for about 2 months. When you want to bake them, you need to thaw them in the fridge for about 30 minutes before you roll them in sugar and bake.
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the cookie dough ahead of time and keep them in the fridge for about 2 days before you want to bake and serve them.
Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting
- Flat Cookies: If you haven’t put enough flour in your cookie dough, the cookies could turn out to be flat. It can also happen if you don’t chill the dough properly.
- Too Sticky: The cookie dough is supposed to be very moist and sticky. But you need to make sure it isn’t too sticky by adding the right amount of flour.
- No Cracks: If you use expired baking powder or your oven isn’t hot enough, your cookies might come out without any cracks.
Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
For Cookies:
- 1 and 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil / neutral oil
- 2 large egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
For coating:
- 1 cup powder sugar/ confectionery sugar
Instructions
- Take a large mixing bowl and add cocoa powder, sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla essence, and whisk them all together until well combined.
- Sift the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder, then gently mix them in with a spatula until combined.
- When the dough is made, cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for overnight or at least 4 hours as well.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius.
- Now, scoop and roll the dough in powdered sugar.
- Place them on top of a baking sheet with parchment paper, making sure there’s enough space, about 2 inches apart between each of them, to puff up.
- When the oven is ready, bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on their size.
- Take the cookies out of the oven when they are done and let them cool to room temperature. Then transfer them to the wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Recipe FAQs
Why Are My Chocolate Crinkle Cookies flat?
If your cookies come out flat, it means that you didn’t chill the cookie dough for long enough in the fridge.
Why Are The Cookies Not Cracked?
Sometimes, using outdated ingredients, like expired baking powder, can be the reason why the cookies don’t crack. So, you need to make sure you use fresh ingredients. Also, if the temperature in the oven is not correct, it could cause the cookies not to bake correctly.
What Can I Add To Make My Crinkle Cookies More Flavorful?
To make your crinkle cookies more flavorful, you can mix in ingredients like espresso powder, extra cocoa powder, vanilla extract, or even a pinch of cinnamon for warmth. You can also add chocolate chips, orange zest, or peppermint extract to give the cookies a unique twist and deepen their overall flavor.
How To Know The Cookies Are Done?
For best results, you should take the cookies out of the oven when the inside of the cookies is still a bit wet. Even though it might seem like they are not done properly, the outer layer of the cookies will firm up as they start to cool down, and the insides will stay fudgy.
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