Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
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Satisfy your cravings with chocolate crinkle cookies—the love child of rich, fudgy brownies and chewy cookies.
With their rich chocolate flavor and chewy center, chocolate crinkles are a cross between brownies and cookies. The secret to their crinkled appearance? A simple trick: rolling the dough balls in confectioners’ sugar before baking. As the cookies puff up in the oven, the powdered sugar coating cracks and reveals the dark chocolate center. For best results, be sure to make the dough a few hours ahead of time and chill it in the refrigerator before baking. This will allow the dough to firm up, making it easier to roll and ensuring that the cookies have a perfect crinkled texture when they come out of the oven.
Often baked as classic Christmas cookies, chocolate crinkles are ideal for holiday gatherings or cookie exchanges. And if you have a chocolate feen or (feens!) in the house, be sure to also check out my blobbs and double chocolate chip cookies—they’re sure to make any chocolate fan swoon!
“Fantastic, fudgy, chocolate cookie! Super easy to make and the kids always help.”
What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the main structure for the cookie dough, ensuring proper texture and consistency.
- Baking Powder: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cookies to rise.
- Unsweetened Chocolate: Adds intense chocolate flavor to the cookies, contributing to their rich taste.
- Butter: Provides moisture and richness to the cookies, resulting in a tender crumb.
- Instant Coffee or Espresso Powder: Enhances the chocolate flavor, adding depth and complexity. Optional but a wonderful addition.
- Large Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, providing structure and texture to the cookies.
- Granulated and Dark Brown Sugar: Sweeten the dough and add moisture. The brown sugar adds a very subtle hint of caramel flavor to the cookies.
- Vanilla Extract: Two teaspoons vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor profile, adding warmth and aroma.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: The confectioners’/powdered sugar coats the cookies before baking, creating a crackly surface and adding a touch more sweetness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Note: When planning to make these cookies, keep in mind the total time required, which includes prep and cook time plus two hours for the dough to chill in the fridge.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Combine the chocolate and butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each bout of heat, until almost melted. The chocolate will continue to melt as it sits. (This technique ensures the chocolate mixture will not get too hot and scorch.) Add the espresso powder and stir until completely melted and smooth.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
Whisk well to combine.
Add the melted chocolate mixture.
Whisk until evenly combined.
Add the flour mixture.
Whisk until evenly combined. (Note that the mixture will be very wet, more like cake batter than cookie dough.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until firm enough to roll — at least 2 hours or longer if necessary.
Position two racks in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place the Confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Roll the chilled dough into 1½-inch balls, then roll the cookie dough balls in confectioners sugar. (There’s no need for a cookie scoop here; If the dough gets sticky, wash your hands and then dust them with confectioners’ sugar before proceeding.) Arrange 12 balls evenly on each baking sheet, then place remaining dough back in the refrigerator.
Bake the cookies for 9 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back midway through, or until puffy and almost dry between the cracks.
Cool the cookies on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
Make Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions
The cookies will keep nicely in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Additionally, the cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Scoop the dough into balls, roll in confectioners’ sugar, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable freezer bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking, let the cookies cool completely and then store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature. If you like to get ahead when baking, check out some helpful tips on how to freeze cookie dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baking at a high altitude requires adjustments for the best results. This baking tips post has some guidelines for tweaks you’ll need to make (in addition to a variety of other general tips to help you avoid baking mistakes).
To get picture perfect cookies, I strongly recommend chilling the dough for at least 2 hours before baking them. This allows the dough to firm up, making it easier to roll, and ensures the cookies have a wonderful crinkled texture when they come out of the oven.
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Satisfy your cravings with chocolate crinkle cookies—the love child of rich, fudgy brownies and chewy cookies.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with knife
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (best quality, such as Ghirardelli)
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder (optional)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup Confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Combine the chocolate and butter in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each bout of heat, until almost melted. The chocolate will continue to melt as it sits. (This technique ensures the chocolate mixture will not get too hot and scorch.) Add the espresso powder and stir until completely melted and smooth.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to smash any lumps of brown sugar. Whisk in chocolate mixture.
- Add the flour mixture and whisk until evenly combined. (Note that the mixture will be very wet, more like cake batter than cookie dough.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until firm enough to roll -- at least 2 hours or longer if necessary.
- Position two racks in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place the Confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Roll the chilled dough into 1½-inch balls, then roll each ball in confectioners sugar. (If the dough gets sticky, wash your hands and then dust them with confectioners sugar before proceeding.) Arrange 12 balls evenly on each baking sheet, then place remaining dough back in the refrigerator. Bake the cookies for 9 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back midway through, or until puffy and almost dry between the cracks. Cool the cookies on the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions:The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Scoop the dough into balls, roll in confectioners' sugar, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To freeze after baking, let the cookies cool completely and then store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 100
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Sugar: 11g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Sodium: 30mg
- Cholesterol: 21mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Made these Gluten Free using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking flour and they turned out great. Baked for 9 minutes. Served warm with a cold glass of milk. Delicious addition to our cookie recipe box.
Currently have second cookie sheet in oven. They look just like your photo but sadly the dough is really sticky to work with. I left it in the fridge for 4 hours, but have now had to put it in freezer before making next sheet…I can only get one sheet of cookies rolled and dusted as it is so sticky, even if I dust my hands.
As many others have said, I love your recipes, but I may have to go back to another recipe I have for these cookies. I would give these 3 and a half stars, because of the sticky dough.
I have reread the recipe and it turns out I forgot extra half cup of flour. I would like to give this recipe 5 stars as they are delicious and it is my ability to follow instructions that deserves a 3 ha ha!
Morning Jenn
I made these cookies and were awesome. When looking at your cookies they are more rounded whereas mine became flat like cookies. Why?
Hi Sara, Glad you liked them! Did you make any adjustments to the recipe? If not, what brand of flour did you use?
This happened with me as well. I used King Arthur flour
Hi Ainsley, I’m sorry you had a problem with these! If you make them again, I’d use an additional 1/4 cup flour.
Outstanding recipe & super easy to make!
Made this recipe at the holidays, baking part of the recipe after chilling and the freezing the balance to bake off as we go. Love having cookies ready to go when the mood strikes. These were really good and a definite hit with my family!
Fantastic, fudgy, chocolate cookie! Super easy to make and the kids always help. We make this every holiday as part of our cookie tray. Thank you!
I have not come across a single recipe from Jen that ended badly. Once upon a chef is my favorite cookbook and favorite website for recipes. I have also made many of my friends Once Upon a Chef fans. Sadly, this is the one recipe I came across that really disappointed. I had to just throw the dough away. I followed the recipe exactly and ended up with flat cookies like many others. This recipe just didn’t work for me.
My sweet tooth and all the rest of me, love these cookies. Just tossed the recipe I have been making for the last fifty five years that were made with oil and all white sugar. I thought they were good, but they could not compare to these with butter, brown sugar and espresso…great depth of flavor. Wow. For ease in handling, I wear vinyl gloves when rolling the balls. Thanks Jenn for making an old favorite even better
I want to start off by saying I have made several recipes from this website before and they came out perfect…..but I did not like these cookies.
I followed this recipe exactly as is. These cookies were very time consuming and very tedious to make. Especially rolling out all 48 of them. They smelled very yummy when they came out of the oven and looked very chocolatey. But they tasted bland and dry. Just a boring ordinary cookie. Nothing special. For all the effort and time I spent making these cookies they were not worth it. I will not be making these again. Sorry!
Add 1/2 Dutch process cocoa powder and reduce flour by 1/2 cup to amp up flavor.
Thank you Jenn for another fab recipe. I remember making these as a young girl, with my Mom’s help of course. We used the classic Betty Crocker recipe which called for oil and cocoa. Jenn’s recipe was a breeze and they turned out perfectly. When I bake I prefer using organic unsalted butter (butter is healthier) with the unsweetened baking chocolate. I would choose this recipe over Betty Crocker’s in a heartbeat. The only thing I would not do is open the oven door and rotate my pans half-way through baking. Doing that can cause the cookies to drop and become flat – due to the cold air rushing into the oven. That said, I did not rotate my pans – and they still turned out beautifully. I personally used all organic ingredients, including my favorite King Arthur Organic All-Purpose Flour and allowing all ingredients to come to room temperature before starting. That makes all the difference in the world – and I have Jenn to personally thank for that very helpful and professional tip. Thank you Jenn!
Love this recipe; I didn’t change a thing. So chocolatey and the texture is perfect.