This classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe is fun to make, super delicious, and perfect for the holidays!
Of course, our week of classic holiday cookie recipes here on the blog would not be complete without these famous crinkles.
Who wants some Chocolate Crinkle Cookies??
Whether you’re baking up a batch for a cookie exchange, pulling them warm outta the oven for a holiday party, or leave them out with a note for Santa, I promise that these chocolate crinkle cookies are always a hit! And this specific recipe has served me well for years. The cookie batter itself is very straightforward, and quick and easy to whip up. Then once you’ve rolled the dough balls in powdered sugar, channel those Great British Baking Show vibes and plant yourself in front of the oven to watch the cookies rise and crinkle. So fun! (Especially with kiddos!)
Here’s how to make them!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies | 1-Minute Video
Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Ingredients:
There’s a good chance you may already have these ingredients in your pantry! You will need:
- Flour: I typically use all-purpose, but white whole wheat flour would work too.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Because…chocolate.
- Baking powder, salt, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract: Because…cookies.
- Oil: I grew up making these with vegetable oil, but any mild-flavored oil will do.
- Powdered sugar: For rolling the cookie dough.
How To Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies:
To make crinkle cookies, simply…
- Whisk together your dry ingredients. Flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
- Prep your dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and oil. Followed by adding in the eggs and vanilla, followed by the dry ingredients.
- Chill the dough. Sorry, you really can’t skip this step with chocolate crinkle cookies! Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely chilled.
- Prep your dough balls. Form the dough into 1-inch balls, and roll them in powdered sugar until completely coated. Place them on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
- Bake. Then bake then at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool for a bit afterwards. Then…
- Enjoy! I highly recommend eating these warm out of the oven. But they also store well for up to 5 days, or freeze well for up to 3 months.
Possible Variations:
Looking to mix things up? Feel free to:
- Add chocolate chips. I really love mixing 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips into this batter for that extra-gooey chocolate touch.
- Place a Hershey’s kiss on top. Just poke the kisses right into the tops of the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven.
- Hide a caramel inside the cookie. Once your dough ball is ready to go, poke half of a soft caramel inside the dough, and wrap/roll the dough around the caramel so that it is completely enclosed. The caramel will melt while baking, making for an extra delicious surprise inside.
- Add ground cinnamon and cayenne. For a Mexican chocolate twist, try adding 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dough. (Just whisk them into the dry ingredient mixture.)
More Favorite Cookie Recipes:
Looking for more delicious cookie inspiration? Feel free to check out our full collection of cookie recipes, or any of these other favorite classic cookies:
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- No-Bake Cookies
- Brown Sugar Cookies
- Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup mild-flavored oil (such as vegetable oil, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for coating the cookies
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until combined. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the granulated sugar and oil. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla, beating on medium-low speed until combined. Then gradually fold in the flour mixture, and beat on medium-low speed until combined.
- Form the dough into a large ball, and place it on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the plastic around it so that it is sealed tightly. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 24 hours) until the dough is chilled completely through.
- Once you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Fill a small bowl with the powdered sugar.
- Remove and unwrap the dough. Then form the dough into 1-inch round balls. Dip each dough ball in the powdered sugar until it is completely covered on all sides, and then place them least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven, and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack, and let them cool until they reach room temperature.
- Serve immediately, or store in a sealed container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Just put these out of the oven! i skipped the powdered sugar coating and the chill time because I needed chocolate and I needed it right now. I made them with coconut oil. They are fantastic! Next time I’m adding chops nuts. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
My batter turned out like brownie batter, loose, but not totally runny. I chilled it for over five hours in the refrigerator, and it was impossible to roll. I sprayed my hands with nonstick spray, I sprayed the scoop with nonstick spray, and I kept returning the rolled balls to the refrigerator until I could pop them in the oven after rolling them in the powdered sugar. There must, must, MUST be an easier way. Did I not chill the dough long enough? Should I chill it for a full 24 hours? They’re just has to be some sort of trick where other reviewer’s are not having one ounce of trouble. PLEASE HELP!!! The cookies are so delicious that I don’t want to stop making them.
This is the worst recipe of all time. I hate google for serving it to me every year. I will say the cookies turn out amazing. But the prep is absolutely awful. Can you please update the recipe so the batter is t completely wet and not able to make a BALL??? It’s impossible year over year. Just completely wet cannot form a thing. Before going in the fridge cannot form a ball and hardly after. PLEASE UPDATE.
These are my kids favorite cookies!! The holidays wouldn’t be the same without them.
I haven’t eaten them yet, but they’re looking great in the oven! I replaced the granulated sugar with powdered sugar, and my dough was perfect!
I just made these for the first time today, and they are spectacular!! They’re so soft and pillowy, but rich and chocolatey. They melt in your mouth, and I can’t stop eating them. I can’t wait to make them again!
Surprised to see so many had issues – this recipe seems 100% fool proof to me! I even made them gluten free! So tasty! And easy. And no issues with runny batter. 🤷🏻♀️
I have made this recipe dozens of times over the past few years and they are always a hit at gatherings! The dough is the perfect consistency for rolling after chilled. Thanks for sharing!
These cookies are amazing!!! I make this recipe times 4, because I give them out to loved ones. Everyone loves these. I have been making them for years. Merry Christmas.
<3 ,
Tracy
cookies taste good, batter was waaay too soft, even after chilling overnight prior to shaping into balls, then re-refrigerating for an hour prior to baking