Chewy fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are pretty and easy to make. They’re rich and decadent and are perfect for cookie exchanges!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Crinkle cookies don’t always have the best reputation. They can be dry and even a little bland. But these chocolate crinkle cookies fit none of those criteria!
These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are rich and chocolatey and fudgy. They’re soft and chewy and so decadently indulgent.
Whether you’re making them for a cookie exchange, as a treat for Santa, or a little chocolate treat for yourself, these cookies will always be a hit.
The dough is really simple to whip up. The key to these tender fudgy crinkle cookies is that the dough is very moist, so it needs to be refrigerated before handling. But believe me, the wait is well worth it!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Variations
These cookies are amazing on their own, but you can try these extra add-ins to mix it up a little!
- Chocolate Chips – They’ll add even more gooey chocolate to these chocolate cookies.
- Caramel – put a caramel in the middle, and roll the dough ball around it for a gooey surprise center.
- Mexican Chocolate – add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and about 1/8 teaspoon red cayenne to literally spice up your cookies!
How to Freeze Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Baked cookies can be stored in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To freeze unbaked cookies, roll dough into balls, but don’t roll in powdered sugar. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for 4-6 hours until solid. Then transfer dough balls to a freezer bag for storage for up to 3 months.
To bake, coat frozen balls in powdered sugar. Bake about 10-11 minutes, until cooked through. No need to thaw.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy (photos 1 and 2). Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined (photo 3).
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt (photo 4). Add dry ingredient mixture to butter mixture. Mix in (photo 5).
Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Chill for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Scoop dough into balls about 1½ tablespoons in size. Roll in powdered sugar (photo 6), and place on baking sheets, about 2-inches apart. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Cookies will still look very soft in the center when removed from oven.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack.
Pro Tips
- Chilling is mandatory for this recipe. The dough is very sticky just after mixing, and you’ll be unable to roll into balls until it has been chilled.
- Powdered sugar is also known as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar.
- Recommended equipment: silicone mat| cookie scoop
- Make Ahead: Cookie dough can be made ahead and stored covered tightly in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Storage: Store baked cookies covered at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezer Instructions: Baked cookies can be stored in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze unbaked cookies, roll dough into balls, but don’t roll in powdered sugar. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for 4-6 hours. Then transfer dough balls to a freezer bag for storage for up to 3 months. To bake, coat frozen balls in powdered sugar. Bake about 10-11 minutes. No need to thaw.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Hot Cocoa Cookies – soft chocolate cookies with a gooey marshmallow baked right on top.
- Marshmallow Oreo Chip Cookies – chewy chocolate cookies packed with mini marshmallows and Oreo pieces.
- German Chocolate Cake Cookies – rich chocolate cookies topped with classic coconut caramel pecan frosting.
- Peppermint Fudge Cookies – fudgy chocolate cookies topped with a melted, gooey peppermint patty.
- Fudge Pinwheel Cookies – possibly my all-time favorite cookie! Butter cookie swirled with fudge. So addicting!
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add dry ingredient mixture to butter mixture. Mix in.
- Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Chill for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Scoop dough into balls about 1½ tablespoons in size. Roll in powdered sugar, and place on baking sheets, about 2-inches apart.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes. Cookies will still look very soft in the center when removed from oven.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack.
Notes
- Chilling is mandatory for this recipe. The dough is very sticky just after mixing, and you’ll be unable to roll into balls until it has been chilled.
- Powdered sugar is also known as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar.
- Recommended equipment: silicone mat| cookie scoop
- Make Ahead: Cookie dough can be made ahead and stored covered tightly in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Storage: Store baked cookies covered at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezer Instructions: Baked cookies can be stored in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze unbaked cookies, roll dough into balls, but don’t roll in powdered sugar. Place on a baking sheet and freeze for 4-6 hours. Then transfer dough balls to a freezer bag for storage for up to 3 months. To bake, coat frozen balls in powdered sugar. Bake about 10-11 minutes. No need to thaw.
Nutrition
Never Miss a Thing!
Join our newsletter to get new recipes, tips, tricks, and tutorials every week!
I’ve never made these but I’m going to now. These look delicious!
Crinkle cookies are so great for Christmas cookie exchange!!! Putting these on my list!
These cookies are so moist and chewy and goeey. I would love to try a batch. Gifting some of these cookies too can be the best option this season.
Mmm, these cookies sound right up my alley! So moist, and chewy.. I love them!
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
That looks like a very different recipe. Sound very delicious and I would like to try it soon.
I am a big fan of recipes like this one that I can do with my kiddos! This looks fun and delicious so I’m am printing the recipe right now!
These cookies are so moist, chewy and delicious. I am already in Chocolate Heaven. Plan to make this for my gifting option.
Crinkle cookies are perfect for Christmas time! These look delicious!
These were fantastic!
Thank you for the tasty recipe – big hit for the holidays!