Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
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Chocolate crinkle cookies recipe with snowy, crackled tops and rich chocolate flavor. A holiday favorite that’s easy, festive, and delicious.
There’s something magical about a plate of chocolate crinkle cookies during the holidays. With their snowy powdered sugar tops, and rich chocolatey centers, they look like little mountains dusted with fresh snow. These classic cookies have been a favorite at Christmas cookie exchanges for generations, and for good reason. They’re easy to make, freeze beautifully, and always disappear quickly from holiday trays.
Whether you’re baking ahead for a festive gathering, packaging them up for homemade gifts, or just craving a sweet treat with a cup of coffee, these classic chocolate crinkles deliver fudgy flavor and that iconic crackled look every time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A classic holiday favorite: Chocolate crinkle cookies have long been a favorite on Christmas cookie platters and remain timeless.
- Beautiful and festive: The crackled tops, dusted with powdered sugar, resemble snow-covered mountains, making them perfect for holiday trays and cookie exchanges.
- Rich chocolate flavor: Made with cocoa powder for a deep, fudgy taste that’s not overly sweet.
- Soft and chewy texture: Slightly crisp edges give way to a tender, brownie-like cookies.
- Make-ahead friendly: Chill the dough overnight or freeze it for later so holiday baking feels less rushed.
- Crowd-pleasing and giftable: These cookies travel well and pack beautifully in tins or boxes for homemade holiday gifts.
Tips for Perfect Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Here are a few tips for making chocolate crinkle cookies:
- Start with room temperature butter: Softened butter blends more easily with sugar, creating a fluffy base for soft, cake-like cookies. Remove the butter from the refrigerator, and let it warm to room temperature for about an hour before making your cookies. This will make combining butter with sugar much easier, resulting in a cake-like textured cookie.
- Chill the dough: Chilling the cookie dough before baking firms up the butter, resulting in a nice round, puffy shape as the cookies bake. It is best to cover and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Scoop evenly: Use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop (a #60 scoop) to portion the dough. Even sizing ensures your cookies bake at the same rate.
- Roll each dough ball generously in powdered sugar, coating it completely. A thick coating helps create the bold black-and-white contrast.
- Don’t overbake: Remove from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool, staying chewy inside.
- Bake one sheet at a time: For the most even results, place one baking sheet in the center of the oven instead of crowding multiple trays.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkles
These chocolate crinkle cookies have a cracked exterior created by rolling the chocolate dough balls in powdered sugar before baking. As the cookie bakes, it cracks into a festive black and white cookie.
The full detailed recipe can be found at the bottom of this article, but follow these steps to make a batch of rich, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookies with their signature snowy tops:
Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients
Gather your ingredients to be sure you have everything on hand before you begin. You can find the full recipe with measurements at the end of this post, but here is an overview of the ingredients you will need:
- All-purpose flour: Gives structure while keeping the cookies soft and tender.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder with no added salts or ingredients. Dutch processed cocoa has a smooth, rich chocolate flavor that is less bitter than regular cocoa.
- Baking powder: Helps the cookies puff up and develop their signature crackled tops.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Creams with butter to create that soft, cake-like texture.
- Unsalted butter: Room-temperature butter blends smoothly with the sugar, keeping the cookies moist.
- Eggs: Provide structure and help bind the dough.
- Vanilla extract: Adds depth and warmth to the chocolate flavor.
- Powdered white sugar: Essential for rolling the dough before baking and creating the snowy, crinkle effect.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients Together
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing the wet ingredients until smooth and well blended.
Step 4: Make the Dough
Reduce the mixer to low speed, and gradually add the dry ingredients to the cocoa mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix until there are no lumps and everything is combined into a thick dough.
Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least two hours (or overnight) to enhance flavor and make the dough easier to work with.
Step 5: Shape the Cookies
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift the powdered sugar through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl so it is light and fluffy.
Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, portion the dough into 1-inch balls.
Roll each ball quickly between your hands, then drop it into the powdered sugar and toss to coat it evenly. Try not to handle the dough too long, or the butter will melt from the heat of your hands.
Place each sugar-coated cookie dough ball 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets, and continue until your baking sheet is filled.
Step 6: Bake and Cool
Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are crackled. Do not overbake. The centers should still look soft.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes to set before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Let the baking sheets cool briefly, then repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Makes about 48 chocolate crinkle cookies.
Storage Tips
- Let the cookies cool completely before storing so the powdered sugar coating doesn’t melt into the cookie.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper between layers to help protect the sugar coating.
- For the best presentation (especially for gifting), enjoy these cookies within the first few days. The powdered sugar tends to melt a bit the longer the cookies are stored.
Make Ahead Tips
If you are getting ready for the holidays and are not ready to bake the cookies right away, you can chill the dough in the refrigerator or freeze it for longer:
- Refrigerate the dough: The cookie dough can be mixed, covered, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Chilled dough is easier to handle and bakes up thicker cookies.
- Freeze dough balls: Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Store for up to 2 months. When you are ready to bake, move the frozen dough balls to the refrigerator and let them thaw for about 1 hour. Once thawed, roll them in powdered sugar and bake according to the directions.
Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the classic, try putting a fun twist on these chocolate crinkle cookies:
- Peppermint Crinkles: Stir in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract with the vanilla, or sprinkle crushed candy canes over the tops right after baking for a festive holiday touch.
- Mocha Crinkles: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a deep coffee-chocolate flavor.
- Double Chocolate: Got a chocolate lover on your gift list? Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips for extra gooey bites of melted chocolate.
- Sugar Swap: You can replace half (or all) of the granulated sugar with brown sugar for a richer, more molasses-like flavor. Keep in mind that brown sugar adds extra moisture, so the cookies may spread a little more and have a slightly softer, chewier texture.
- Gluten-Free Crinkles: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of all-purpose flour. Be sure to chill the dough to hydrate the flour before baking for the best results.
- Holiday Sparkle: Roll the dough balls first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar, for an extra-crisp crackle with a little sparkle.
Serving & Gifting Ideas
- Holiday platters: Add chocolate crinkle cookies to Christmas cookie trays alongside sugar cookies, gingerbread, and other festive favorites. Their snowy crackle pattern adds beautiful contrast.
- Cookie exchanges: These classic cookies are always a hit at holiday swaps. They stand out visually and pack well for travel.
- Homemade gifts: Arrange cookies in tins, boxes, or cellophane bags tied with ribbon for thoughtful, homemade holiday gifts.
- Everyday treats: Enjoy with a cup of hot cocoa, coffee, or tea for a cozy afternoon pick-me-up.
- Special occasions: Their pretty crackled tops make them a fun choice for winter parties, bake sales, or family gatherings.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Classic Christmas Cookie Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for coating
Instructions
Make the Cookie Dough
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to a medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Add the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Continue mixing until well blended.
- Add the flour mixture a little at a time, mixing until well combined.
- Cover and chill for at least two hours (or up to 24 hours).
Shape and Bake Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl so it is nice and fluffy.
- Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out about a heaping teaspoon of dough and shape it into 1-inch balls.
- Roll each ball in the powdered sugar to coat all sides, and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake in a preheated oven until edges are set and tops are crinkled, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and cool them slightly. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
- Let the cookie sheets cool for a bit, then repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
- Makes about 48 cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies This Christmas
Chocolate crinkle cookies are a timeless treat that brings a little holiday magic to any table. With their snowy powdered sugar tops and rich chocolatey centers, they’re just as delicious to eat as they are beautiful to share. Bake up a batch for your next cookie exchange, holiday party, or to enjoy with a cup of cocoa by the fire.
Looking for more festive baking ideas? Try these other Christmas favorites:
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- Italian Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Toasted Almond Anise Biscotti
- Old Fashioned Gingersnaps Recipe
Plus, explore even more holiday inspiration: