Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (2024)

by Jolina | | | 64 Comments
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Chocolate crinkles are soft, chewy, very chocolatey and also ridiculously easy to make. They’re on everyone’s favourite Christmas cookie list every year!

(What to try something different this year? Make a batch of delicious ube crinkles or molasses crinkle cookies and wow your family and friends!)

Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (1)

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What are chocolate crinkles

How to make

Make ahead

Storage and shelf life

Holiday cookie swap recipes

Very Chocolatey Chocolate Crinkles

And just like that Thanksgiving is over. Hope you had a wonderful one! Did you score any good deals on Black Friday? It’s Cyber Monday today so if there are any last-minute things you want to buy, now is the time.

You also know what this all means, right? Everyone’s now looking to Christmas! It will be here sooner than we think –Christmas parties, menu planning, gifts (…calories…just sayin’).

This week we are doing Christmas cookies.

Whether you want to give them out as gifts, bring them to your office potluck or serve them at your next get-together (or for when Santa comes to visit!), these cookies are crowd pleasers at Christmastime (or anytime).

First up are these soft, chewy and so very chocolatey chocolate crinkles.

What are chocolate crinkles

Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (2)

Chocolate crinkles are simply chocolate cookies that have those distinctive cracks on top (some people call them chocolate crackle cookies).

That happens because you roll the dough in sugarChocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (3) which then bakes, expands and crackles into these delicious, textured and pretty-as-a-snowflake cookies (or, in simpler terms, oven magic happens).

They are chocolatey, not very sweet (despite being rolled into sugar) and most definitely chewy (so right up my alley! Have you seen these chewy double chocolate chip cookies?)

How to make

Chocolate crinkles are very easy to make, another reason they’re a favourite holiday cookie.

1. WHISK FLOUR MIXTURE. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. COMBINE COCOA MIXTURE. In a larger bowl, stir cocoa powder, sugar and oil until combined.

3. ADD EGGS. Then you want to add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add vanilla extract and stir. Your mixture should be quite thick at this stage.

3. ADD DRY TO WET INGREDIENTS. Add your flour mixture on top of your cocoa mixture and, using a fork, stir to combine until smooth and well incorporated. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours (I like to chill mine overnight).

4. PREHEAT OVEN. When your cookie dough is ready, preheat your oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

5. SCOOP AND ROLL. Scoop your dough into 1 to 2 inch balls (2-inch balls will give you jumbo cookies like the ones you find in Starbucks). Thoroughly coat each ball with confectioner’s sugar before placing it on the cookie sheet. The cookies will spread a bit so space your cookies about 2-3 inches apart.

6. BAKE AND ENJOY! Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges start to brown and the tops start to crack. Cool slightly on the cookie sheet (about 2 minutes) then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make ahead

Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (12)

This cookie batter freezes very well. You can roll them into balls, place on a baking or cookie sheetChocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (13) and freeze until firm. Then you can transfer them into a freezer-friendly container or Ziploc bagChocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (14).

When you’re ready to bake, simply get as many balls as you like from the freezer, thaw for about 30 minutes (watch that it doesn’t become too soft otherwise they will spread too thinly), roll in the sugar and bake as directed.

(Buttermilk scones also freeze very well and are perfect to make ahead and serve on Christmas morning! Check out this classic buttermilk scones no-fail recipe or this lemon buttermilk scones recipe to mix thingsup.)

Storage and shelf life

Once baked, assuming we don’t eat it all lol, these chocolate crinkles will last 2-3 days in an airtight container. So that’s something to keep in mind if you’re planning to give these out as presents (great idea by the way!).

(Another easy and delicious foodie gift for Christmas? Homemade chocolate bark! Fun to make and even funner to give away.)

Holiday cookie swap recipes

Looking for more cookie recipes for holiday cookie swaps? Check these out:

  • are chewy, chocolatey and so easy to make! Perfect if you’re looking for a last-minute holiday treat.
  • White chocolate pistachio cookies are delightfully sweet and salty in one delicious bite.
  • are the best kind of chocolate cookies — soft and chewy, so chocolatey and a breeze to make!
  • While soft and chewy ginger molasses cookies are sweet, indulgent and will make your house smell like Christmas.

Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (15)

Very Chocolatey Chocolate Crinkles

Author: Jolina

Soft, chewy and very chocolatey, chocolate crinkles are also ridiculously easy to make. They’re on everyone’s favourite Christmas cookie list!

5 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Chilling Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine North American

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 170 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.

  • In a large bowl, stir 1 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar and ½ cup oil until combined.

    Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (16)

  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add 2 teaspoons vanilla and stir. Your mixture should be quite thick at this stage.

    Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (17)

  • Add your flour mixture on top of your cocoa mixture and, using a fork, stir to combine until smooth and well incorporated. Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours (I usually chill my cookie dough overnight).

    Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (18)

  • When your dough is ready, preheat your oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  • Scoop your dough into 1 to 2 inch balls (2-inch balls will give you jumbo cookies like the ones you find in Starbucks).

    Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (19)

  • Thoroughly coat each ball with confectioner's sugar before placing it on the cookie sheet. The cookies will spread a bit so space your cookies about 2-3 inches apart.

    Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (20)

  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges start to brown and the tops start to crack. Cool slightly on the cookie sheet (about 2 minutes) then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Video

Notes

  1. The number of cookies you get from this recipe depends largely on how big (or small) you scoop the cookie dough. I typically get around 24-28 cookies using my 1.5 TBSP cookie scoop.
  2. These chocolate crinkles will look soft out of the oven but will continue to set while cooling on the pan. Do not over bake.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 50mgPotassium: 107mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information are estimates only.

Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating today!Also tag @iamtheunlikelybaker I’d love to see your creations.

Happy baking!

Did you make chocolate crinkle cookies? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Andlet’s get social!Find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Chocolate Crinkles Easy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why didn't my crinkles crack? ›

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Common Questions

The most common reason for cookies that don't crack is either that the oven was not hot enough or the baking powder was expired.

Why are my crinkles not moist? ›

See note above about baking times. The most likely reason that the cookies are not moist is that they've been overbaked. With cookies, overbaking by only a few minutes can be the difference between a perfect cookie and a dry, crumbly one. Another reason could be that they haven't been stored in an airtight container.

Why don't my crinkle cookies crinkle? ›

Why are my crinkle cookies not crinkling? If the dough is too wet, then it will dissolve the sugar and the crinkle will get lost. In order for a defined crinkle to form, the surface of the dough needs to be dry. If your cookies are not crinkling then there is too much free water in the dough.

What makes crinkle cookies crinkle? ›

The part that makes this a 'crinkle' cookie is the generous coating of powdered sugar that the cookie dough ball gets before going into the oven. As it bakes and spreads on the baking sheet, cracks develop and are exposed, giving the perfect crackle cookie.

Why are my cookies chewy and not crunchy? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Can I bake crinkles without parchment paper? ›

Can you bake crinkles without parchment? Yes, you can bake Chocolate Crinkle Cookies without parchment paper. Grease the baking sheet with cooking spray, oil, or butter. Don't overdo it because it can cause the cookies to spread out too much.

How do you keep cookies moist when baking? ›

Baking at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature will help cookies stay soft: they'll bake faster which means they aren't in the hot, drying air of the oven too long. Pull the cookie sheet out of the oven when the cookies are just set: underbaking is better than overbaking.

How do you keep cookies crunchy? ›

Keep those cookies crisp by storing them in an airtight container. Some people toss a piece of bread in with the cookies to help absorb any excess moisture. You could also re-crisp them by baking on a wire rack in a 300 degree F oven for a few minutes.

How do you make cookies soft instead of crunchy? ›

If you don't have cornstarch on hand, there are a few alternative steps you can take to produce the cookie of your dreams. Go heavy on brown sugar. It has more moisture than its granulated counterpart, which means the cookie comes out less crispy. Unsurprisingly, more liquid retention guarantees a softer bite.

Why do my chocolate chip cookies always come out fluffy? ›

Q: Why are my cookies so puffy and cakey? Whipping too much air into the dough. That fluffy texture you want in a cake results from beating a lot of air into the room temperature butter and sugar, and it does the same for cookies. So don't overdo it when you're creaming together the butter and sugar.

Why is my crinkle cookie dough dry? ›

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

What are crunchy cookies called? ›

Most English-speaking countries call crunchy cookies "biscuits", except for the United States and Canada, where "biscuit" refers to a type of quick bread. Chewier biscuits are sometimes called "cookies" even in the United Kingdom.

Why doesn't my cookie crack? ›

Cookies will flatten if there is a bit of much fat in the dough, usually butter or shortening. Try adding more flour or oats or something else that will add to the firmness of your dough.

What makes cookies crack when baking? ›

Most cookies have top crusts that remain relatively soft and flexible as the cookies set during baking. However, if the top surface dries out before the cookie is finished spreading and rising, it hardens, cracks, and pulls apart, producing an attractive crinkly, cracked exterior.

Why didn't my crinkle cookies flatten? ›

Oven temperature determines how much or how little a cookie spreads—and while 350°F is the optimal temperature for most cookies, crinkle cookies are a bit different. If crinkle cookies are baked at 350°F, the outside bakes and hardens more quickly, which doesn't give the dough enough time to spread.

Why don't my snickerdoodles crack? ›

If yours aren't cracking, your oven may not be hot enough or your ingredients may not be fresh enough! Are snickerdoodles supposed to be undercooked? I always recommend slightly underbaking your cookies and then letting them finish baking through cooling on the pan.

References

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