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This Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe (aka Chocolate Crackle Cookies) makes cookies that are thick and chewy like a brownie with rich chocolate flavor, and crispy outside with a powdered sugar crackle top. The best part is, this easy recipe is foolproof!
Leaving a plate of cookies for Santa is one of those happy childhood memories that so many of us share. In my house it was usually frosted and sprinkle-decorated Christmas cutout cookies, a glass of milk, and a couple carrots for the reindeer.
Not only are these Chocolate Crackle Cookies a great cookie to leave out for Santa, but they’re a favorite of adults and kiddos alike!
These cookies have deep, rich chocolate flavor and a chewy brownie texture. They’re crisp outside and coated in powdered sugar to get the perfect crackled look. I love the contrast between the dark chocolate inside and the white powdered sugar outside – it reminds me of a Christmas snowfall.
This crackle cookie recipe is foolproof, just make sure to read it through in advance and don’t skip the chill time!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- These cookies are completely decadent. They’re rich and chewy with a crackled top and a brownie-like texture thanks to using oil instead of butter as the fat.
- This is a no-fail recipe. You’ll get thick cookies with a crinkle top every single time! The trick to this is to chill the dough.
- The crackle on these cookies is gorgeous. And our secret to this is simple: double roll the dough balls in powdered sugar!
The Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour – this is the base for our cookie dough
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – use natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa powder here
- Baking powder – this is our leavening agent for these cookies
- Salt – to balance the flavor profile and enhance the flavor of everything else
- Instant espresso powder – the slight flavor of coffee from using a tiny amount of instant espresso powder pulls out the nuanced flavor notes of chocolate, but doesn’t actually taste like coffee in these cookies
- Egg – this acts as a binder and helps the cookie dough come together
- Vegetable oil – in this recipe we use oil instead of butter as the fat to get a more chewy brownie-like texture
- Granulated sugar – this is our main sweetener for these cookies
- Light brown sugar – we use just a touch of brown sugar for caramel-like molasses notes
- Vanilla extract – this helps enhance the flavor nuances in chocolate
- Chocolate chips – for bursts of deep chocolate flavor
- Powdered sugar – rolling the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar before baking is what causes the crackle tops
Step by Step Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and instant espresso powder together in a medium bowl.
- Add the egg, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and beat just until incorporated.
- The batter will look wet at this point.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes in the freezer or 4 hours in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Put the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Use a 1.5-tablespoon scoop to measure out the dough. Roll the measured dough into balls, and then roll each ball in powdered sugar. Once you’re done rolling all the dough balls once in the powdered sugar, roll them each a second time.
- Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes on the tray before removing.
Storage
You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To make ahead, you can make the cookie dough and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking the cookies.
Pro Tip
Prior to chilling, Chocolate Crinkle Cookie dough is very soft. Don’t be tempted to add more flour; the dough should be on the soft side so the cookies are chewy. After chilling, the dough will be the right consistency to bake.
FAQs
Do I Have to Chill Cookie Dough for Crackle Cookies?
Yes! While it chills, the cookie dough stiffens to the consistency that we need for baking.
How Do You Get a Crinkle Top on Cookies?
The sugar coating helps create a beautiful crinkle cookie top! Don’t skip the second rolling for best results.
Also, check your baking powder to make sure it’s fresh. If your leavening agent doesn’t work, it won’t puff the cookies the way we need it to for the crackle.
One last tip, make sure that your oven is at the right temperature. It needs to be hot enough for the cookies to crinkle!
Can I Double This Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe?
Yes! This recipe is very easy to double, triple, or even quadruple.
Note that if you make a bigger batch, you might want to use a stand mixer instead of a handheld electric beater to mix the dough.
Can I Freeze Crinkle Cookies?
Yes! You can freeze them before or after baking.
To freeze crinkle cookie dough:
- Follow the recipe up until the point where you roll the dough into balls.
- Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
- Put the frozen dough balls in a zip-top plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the dough balls at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling in powdered sugar and baking.
To freeze baked crackle cookies:
- Once the cookies are baked, let them cool completely.
- Arrange them in an airtight container layered between pieces of parchment paper.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the cookies at room temperature for 1 hour before eating.
More Chocolate Cookie Recipes to Try
- Stuffed Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies – peanut butter truffle stuffed inside decadent chocolate cookies
- Thin Mints – inspired by the iconic Girl Scouts cookie
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies – chewy, rich chocolate cookies studded with chocolate chips for a chocolate-lovers dream come true
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe (aka Chocolate Crackle Cookies)
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder optional
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and instant espresso powder together in a medium bowl.
- Add the egg, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla to a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and beat just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 45 minutes in the freezer or 4 hours in the fridge.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Put the powdered sugar into a shallow bowl.
- Use a 1.5-tablespoon scoop to measure out the dough. Roll the measured dough into balls, and then roll each ball in powdered sugar. Once you’re done rolling all the dough balls once in the powdered sugar, roll them each a second time. Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool for 15 minutes on the tray before removing.
- The cookies will be soft and gooey when they first come out of the oven, but they will stiffen to the perfect consistency as they cool.
Video
Notes
- Chilling the Dough: Prior to chilling, this cookie dough is very soft. Don’t be tempted to add more flour; the dough should be on the soft side so the cookies are chewy. After chilling the dough will be the right consistency to bake.
- Storage: You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Make Ahead: To make ahead, you can make the cookie dough and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking the cookies.
To Freeze Crinkle Cookie Dough:
- Follow the recipe up until the point where you roll the dough into balls.
- Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
- Put the frozen dough balls in a zip-top plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the dough balls at room temperature for 20 minutes before rolling in powdered sugar and baking.
To Freeze Baked Crackle Cookies:
- Once the cookies are baked, let them cool completely.
- Arrange them in an airtight container layered between pieces of parchment paper.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the cookies at room temperature for 1 hour before eating.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
These are the REAL DEAL!!! Delicious, fudgy and chewy. Easy to make. Perfection.
I absolutely loved this easy recipe Faith! Your Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are simply the best I’ve ever made! My family also like the taste of Turkish coffee and I was wondering how to tweak this recipe to add in a hint of flavour?
Fiona, Thank you for your kind words, I’m so happy you enjoyed these cookies! I love your idea of making a Turkish coffee variation. I would add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Turkish ground coffee to the dry ingredients (and omit the 1/8 teaspoon instant espresso powder). If you like the flavor of cardamom with Turkish coffee, I would add a hint of it (maybe 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon) to the dry ingredients as well. I would keep everything else the same. Please let me know how they turn out if you try this version. :)
Oh wow! This is a great idea! I’m going to try it next time.
This looks really good!