This easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe yields soft and chewy cookies with that classic crackled look. Cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and espresso powder give these cookies an intense double chocolate flavor, and a powdered sugar coating gives them a beautiful finish.
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Why We Love This Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe
We love a chocolate-y cookie around here, and these classic crinkle cookies are so easy to make!
- Fudgy. The combination of cocoa powder, granulated and brown sugar, and vegetable oil results in a wonderfully rich texture reminiscent of brownies.
- Moist. The brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs keep these cookies extra soft.
- Crinkly. As balls of cookie dough bake and spread in the oven, the powdered sugar coating cracks apart, creating the “crinkled” texture.
Variations on Crinkle Chocolate Cookies
There are so many ways to change up these chocolate crinkles. For a festive twist, add a teaspoon of peppermint or orange extract to the dough. You can also swirl ½ cup of peanut butter into the dough, or some chopped nuts for a nutty twist. For a warming spice, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dough. Yum!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chocolate crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy at room temperature.
How to Freeze
Freeze crinkle cookies in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 1 month. Let thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
These chewy chocolate crinkle cookies are great dipped in a warming cup of malted hot chocolate or a chocolate coffee. For a bit of extra sweetness, slather them with some vanilla frosting or chocolate buttercream.
The powdered sugar coating the cookies helps them to dry out the surface and create that crinkly texture.
If the dough is too wet, then the sugar will fully dissolve, and the crinkles will lose their definition. It’s important for the surface of the dough to be dry in order for the crinkles to properly form.
Although the surface of these cookies needs to be dry, the interiors should turn out moist and fudgy. Ensuring there is enough sugar in the dough helps keep them moist.
If your cookies turn out flat, either the dough wasn’t chilled enough or there wasn’t enough flour in the dough. Measure the flour using the spoon-and-level method to ensure you use the correct amount, and be sure to chill the dough for at least 2 hours.
More Chocolate Cookie Recipes To Try
- Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Vanilla Pinwheel Cookies
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 grams
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 42 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- ¼ cup brown sugar 53 grams
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 50 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder 1 gram, optional
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips 89 grams, optional
- 1 cup powdered sugar 113 grams, for coating the cookies
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together.1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder together.½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon espresso powder
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined. Add in the chocolate chips and mix until they are evenly distributed. Try not to overmix the dough.½ cup mini chocolate chips
- Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch round balls. Coat the cookies in powdered sugar and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.1 cup powdered sugar
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges of the cookies are set. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- The espresso powder is optional, but it gives the cookies an extra chocolatey flavor.
- If your cookies chill longer than 2 hours, you may need to let the dough sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to make it scoopable for rolling.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Step by Step
Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt together.
Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk ½ cup of granulated sugar, ¼ cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon of espresso powder together.
Chill the Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined. Add in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips and mix until they are evenly distributed. Try not to overmix the dough. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
Form the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch round balls. Coat the cookies in 1 cup of powdered sugar and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the Cookies: Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges of the cookies are set. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Have made these before! These cookies were a hit! Just made them again! Delicious. Will freeze until next weekend! So glad you can make ahead!
We’re so happy to hear you love this recipe, Judi!