Extra fudgy and loaded with chocolate chips, these crinkle cookies are the best ever! It took me five years of experimenting, but I finally found the recipe my family and friends declared the winner.
With a soft brownie middle and a crunchy powdered sugar coating, crinkles are a classic Christmas cookie that delight chocolate lovers everywhere. Perfect on a cookie tray, or for gift giving!
What makes this the best chocolate crinkle cookie recipe:
- You can make the dough ahead of time and chill it until you are ready to bake the cookies.
- They call for simple ingredients that you probably always have on hand.
- Double chocolate – most chocolate crinkles just call for cocoa powder; these also have mini chocolate chips for extra decadence!
- Oil instead of butter. I know, it goes against my core cookie making beliefs. But after trying several recipes with butter that we didn’t love, I tried using oil. It just took one bite to know it was a winner. The texture is sublime!
- They keep well (and seem to get even more fudgy after a day or two). You can also freeze them.
Why are my chocolate crinkle cookies flat?
If you don’t chill the dough long enough, it will be too soft, and the cookies will spread too much. It could also be that you need a bit more flour.
Why did my crinkle cookies not crinkle?
If your oven isn’t hot enough, the cookies will spread before rising, and you won’t get nice cracks. This can also happen if your baking powder is old or expired.
To test baking powder, just add a bit of water. If it doesn’t immediately start to bubble, it needs to be replaced.
Why are my crinkle cookies dry?
Most likely you over baked them. Remember that cookies will continue to cook on the baking sheet for a few minutes after being removed from the oven. You want to bake them just until they are barely set.
Using oil instead of butter will keep your cookies a little more soft and moist because oil is liquid at room temperature, while butter is a solid.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CRINKLES
- PREP – Line baking sheets with silicone liners, or spray with non stick cooking spray.
- WET INGREDIENTS – Combine cocoa powder, oil, and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until no cocoa lumps remain. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- DRY INGREDIENTS – Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir into the chocolate mixture with the mini chocolate chips.
- CHILL – Wrap the dough with plastic wrap or cover tightly. Chill for at least 4 hours, or until the dough is very stiff. (This step is crucial if you want your cookies to crackle!)
- FORM – First preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1 ounce balls about an inch across. Roll in powdered confectioners sugar. (You can let the dough sit at room temperature for 15 minutes if it’s too stiff to work with.)
- BAKE – Place cookie dough balls at least 2″ apart on prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until crackled and barely set in the middle.
- COOL – Let cool on pans for 3-5 minutes, then remove to wire racks.
How to store leftover crinkles?
These cookies keep really well, and honestly I like them best after a day or two. They seem to soften up and get even more fudgy inside!
Just store them in an airtight container and they will last at room temperature for at least a week.
You can also freeze them. Let the cookies cool completely, then place them in heavy-duty ziplock bags. They will last in the freezer for 5-6 months. Squeeze the air out of the bag as you remove cookies, and they stay so fresh!
When ready to serve, you can let them thaw at room temperature, or pop them in the microwave for a few seconds. Just be careful, the center heats up pretty fast.
VARIATIONS:
- For minty chocolate crinkles, use 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp peppermint extract, and 3/4 cup of mint chocolate chips or andes mint bits.
- If all you have are regular sized chocolate chips, they will work in a pinch, but the cookies won’t be quite as pretty and crackled.
- You can also use chopped chocolate instead of the mini chips.
MORE CHOCOLATE COOKIES:
- Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
- Chocolate Cookies with Powdered Sugar
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Mint Truffle Cookies
- Chocolate Kiss Cookies
- Chocolate M&M Cookies
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIE RECIPE
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
- 1 cup powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Spray cookie sheets with non stick cooking spray or use silicone liners.
- In a large bowl, beat cocoa powder, oil, and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the chocolate mixture with the chocolate chips.
- Cover dough or wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough in balls (mine were about an ounce each). Then roll balls in powdered sugar.
- Place at least 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until set and crackled.
- Let cool on pans for 3-5 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Every chocolate lover should have a great chocolate crinkle cookie recipe in their stash. I hope you’ll give this one a try, and let me know how you like them!
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I am obsessed with these cookies — they are the best! Everyone always enjoys them and they are incredibly easy to make.
It’s always a win when something is easy and happens to be a hit, isn’t it!
These cookies are always our go-to recipe every year around the holidays. This year, my 10 year old daughter took over these cookies. This recipe is super easy to follow and make. Thanks for posting!
How fun that your daughter is cooking! The oil does make these easier than other crinkle cookie recipes, that’s for sure!