Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Updated Dec 15, 2025
Chocolate crinkle cookies made with a rich chocolate dough, coated in powdered sugar, and baked until soft and crackled.
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are soo good!
If you’ve been craving a change from your usual cookie repertoire, let me introduce you to my go-to Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe! It’s like the best of two worlds, a fudgy brownie and a classic cookie, all wrapped up in one. Plus, that generous dusting of powdered sugar really makes them pop on the plate.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure you use softened butter.
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips: I like semi-sweet (which is 50 to 60% cocoa solids) but if you prefer a less intense chocolate, you could use milk chocolate. Or, for deeper cocoa flavor use dark chocolate chips.
- Cocoa Powder: Make sure this is sifted to prevent lumps in the batter. Also, since baking soda is used in this recipe, natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa is best.
- Eggs: Use room temperature large eggs.
- Light Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and chewiness, while granulated sugar gives the crinkle cookie those crisp edges. You could swap dark brown sugar instead of light, but the granulated sugar is essential for the right texture.
- Vanilla Extract: For a seasonal twist, swap for peppermint extract.
- All-purpose Flour: I’ve only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour so I don’t recommend using an alternative flour.
- Baking Soda: Make sure it’s fresh, this is what helps to create the crinkle effect.
- Salt: A touch of salt enhances the flavors and balances out the sweetness of the cookies.
- Powdered Sugar: Coating the crackle cookies in powdered sugar before baking gives them their signature snowy appearance. Sift it before rolling the cookies to prevent lumps.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipes
Chocolate crinkle cookies made with cocoa powder and melted chocolate, rolled in powdered sugar and baked until crackly on top.
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place butter and chocolate chips in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set over low heat and cook, stirring often, until everything is melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then whisk in cocoa powder until smooth.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar at medium speed until pale yellow and the mixture ribbons on itself slightly. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
- Carefully pour the butter and chocolate mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer on top of the egg and sugar mixture, and mix at low speed until the chocolate has been incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix at low speed just until only a few streaks of flour remain.
- Using a rubber spatula to fold in any remaining flour, then chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350˚F and line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
- Once chilled, using a 1.5 tablespoon-size spring loaded cookie scoop, scoop 12 dough balls on each prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Roll into even balls, then coat each in powdered sugar. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies have spread significantly and have crackly tops.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about 1 minute on the baking trays before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- My Top Tip: Don’t skip the chill time: This dough will be too sticky to roll in powdered sugar without a chill, so be sure to let it cool for about 20 minutes before baking.
- Storage: Place them in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. At room temperature, they will keep for 4 days. In the fridge, kept in an airtight container, these cookies will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. Remember to let them come back to room temperature before serving for the best taste and texture.
- Freezing: You can either freeze the unbaked dough balls or the baked cookies. For the dough, freeze the individual balls on a baking sheet before transferring them to a zip-top bag. When you’re ready to bake, just roll them in powdered sugar and add a minute or two to the baking time. For baked cookies, let them cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe container, separated by layers of parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, just let them thaw at room temperature. The powdered sugar topping might absorb a bit into the cookie during freezing, so for that freshly baked look, you might want to dust them with a bit more powdered sugar after they’ve thawed.
Nutrition
Calories: 145kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 24mg, Sodium: 78mg, Potassium: 61mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 140IU, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Recipe Variations
- Add-ins: Feel free to mix in some chopped nuts, like walnuts or pecans, for added texture. White chocolate chips or dried fruit like cranberries could also be a delicious addition. a ½ cup of total add-ins will be best.
- Enhance the Chocolate: A little coffee really brings out the chocolate flavor. Try using 1 teaspoon of instant coffee. Add it when you mix the eggs and sugar. Just remember, it should be instant coffee, not regular ground coffee.
- Orange Zest: Incorporate the zest of an orange into your cookie dough. Chocolate and orange are a classic flavor pairing, and the citrus note can really make the chocolate flavor pop.
- Experiment with Salt: Try using a flaky sea salt or a flavored salt (like espresso salt, if you can find it) to sprinkle on top of your cookies before baking. Salt enhances all flavors, and the contrast with the sweet cookie can really highlight the chocolate.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the chill time: This dough will be too sticky to roll in powdered sugar without a chill, so be sure to let it cool for about 20 minutes before baking.
- Quality Ingredients: Use high-quality ingredients whenever possible. Good cocoa powder and chocolate chips can make a big difference in the final flavor of the cookies.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Once you add the flour, mix just until you can’t see it anymore. Overmixing can make your cookies tough
- Use the Pan to Get the Right Shape: To get those classic crackly tops, use the pan to help do the work. About halfway through the cooking time, gently tap the pan on the oven rack to help form the crinkles.
- Bake Just Until Set: The cookies should still be soft when they come out of the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool. Overbaking can lead to a dry cookie.
FAQs
Why are my chocolate crinkle cookies not crinkling?
The signature crinkle effect happens when the cookies spread and crack as they bake. If your cookies aren’t crinkling, it might be because the dough is too warm (try chilling it for longer before baking), or the oven temperature might be too low (ensure your oven is correctly preheated).
Why are my chocolate crinkle cookies flat?
There could be a couple of reasons. Firstly, check your leavening agent – in this case, baking soda. If it’s old, it might not be working effectively. Secondly, you may have overmixed the dough after adding the flour, which can lead to a denser, flatter cookie.
Can I just use cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate?
The semi-sweet chocolate in this recipe contributes to the rich, fudgy texture of the cookies. While cocoa powder can add a chocolate flavor, it doesn’t have the fat content of actual chocolate, which can impact the cookie’s texture. If necessary, you could experiment with a combination of cocoa powder and additional butter, but the results may vary.
Comments
My family has been making these for over 70 years. We call them Crackle cookies and they have walnuts in them, a perfect slightly bitter nut that completely the sweet brownie-like dough.
Love these cookies. They came out so well!
So happy to hear that!