Chocolate Crinkles Recipe (step-by-step photos)

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 and wow your family and friends!)

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 anyway?

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

That happens because you roll the dough in sugar 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 crackle cookies

Chocolate crinkles are very easy to make, another reason they’re a favourite holiday cookie. (For the detailed recipe, scroll to the bottom of the page for a printer-friendly recipe card).

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.

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Can you make chocolate crinkles ahead of time?

This cookie batter freezes very well. You can roll them into balls, place on a baking or cookie sheet and freeze until firm. Then you can transfer them into a freezer-friendly container or Ziploc bag.

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 things up.

How long do chocolate crinkles last?

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:

• M&M cookie bars 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.
• Chewy double chocolate M&M cookies 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.

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 8 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Chilling Time 4 hrs

Total Time 4 hrs 30 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine North American

Servings 24 cookies

Calories 170 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 4 pcs large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup confectioner's sugar

Instructions

 

• ▢
  In a medium bowl, whisk 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
• ▢
  In a large bowl, stir 1 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup oil until combined.
  
• ▢
  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.
  
• ▢
  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).
  
• ▢
  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).
  
• ▢
  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.
  
• ▢
  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.

Keyword Christmas, Cookie Swap, Easy

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Happy baking!

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