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 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and about ⅛ 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.
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
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Erika says
I've never made these but I'm going to now. These look delicious!
Tisha says
Crinkle cookies are so great for Christmas cookie exchange!!! Putting these on my list!
Veena Azmanov says
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.
Jordin says
Mmm, these cookies sound right up my alley! So moist, and chewy.. I love them!
Katie says
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
Roxana says
That looks like a very different recipe. Sound very delicious and I would like to try it soon.
Beth says
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!
Veena Azmanov says
These cookies are so moist, chewy and delicious. I am already in Chocolate Heaven. Plan to make this for my gifting option.
Genevieve says
Crinkle cookies are perfect for Christmas time! These look delicious!
LEBZA says
These were fantastic!
Thank you for the tasty recipe - big hit for the holidays!
Angela says
I love these cookies! I am definitely freezing them pre-cooked next time to pull out any time I need one. 🙂
Luci says
I love these chocolate crinkle cookies! They are so chewy and chocolatey. I added caramels to half of the batch and they still turned out delicious!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Those look divine! Saved for later! Looking forward to trying them.
Caroline says
23.7.2021
Thank you for posting this recipe (scroll to the end to see my results)
I made these yesterday. As with most other recipes I reduced the sugar. Because I still wanted to get a look similar look, I only reduced the brown sugar (1/4 cup instead of 1/2 ), which I'm personally not always a fan of. Along with this I made only a few modifications:
-as I didn't have any vanilla essence on hand, I used 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar instead
-As it wasn't specified, I used 43% cacoa powder (but still the amount as written in the recipe
-My oven doesn't have a Fahrenheit option & in °C the temperature would be 176 but I used my only option: 175°C.
-I used Unter/Oberhitze (top-/bottom heat) & not Umluft (circulating air)
-After 3 hours and 36 minutes, when the dough was formable, I formed the cookies & placed all 30 of them on the same sheet. When I formed the last ones the dough became stickier, maybe you could put itin the freezer while forming.
Some of the cookies stuck a little together afterwards but they were easily seperable with a knife (although I would recommend baking them on different baking trays if you want them to look perfectly round.
-I used way less than 1 cup of sugar because I didn't cover all of the cookies but I would cover the covered ones with a thicker layer next time, so that the entire exterior is white
Process:
I'm new to measuring with cups so it took me a bit long.
Results:
-the sugar really gives these cookies an additional something, melting into the cookie a little, although I would mix something else into the batter next time for an additional scent, maybe more vanilla sugar
-the sweetness was perfect for me
-the consistency is amazing, almost brownie-like but not tasting like one (I'm not a big fan of brownies)
-other people who had them agree with me on the consistency
-the bottom of the cookies was nicely baked too
Conclusion:
-if you want to have soft, but on the outside firm cookies, try out this recipe
-if you want the cookies to taste of not only cocoa powder, add an extract but the taste is good on its own
-if this is one of your first times baking/cooking with cups it may take longer but will still be worth it.
Michelle says
Thank you for such a helpful thorough review
Toni Dash says
Such an amazing holiday treat!! My kids couldn't stop eating!
Sue says
We made these yesterday and they didn't last through the night ~ they're amazing, and so easy!!
Dana Sandonato says
Such a classic! I loved these. They were so easy to make and definitely had me all nostalgic. My mom used to bring some of these home after her cookie exchange parties in the late 80s. Nothing beats these trusty holiday cookie recipes—there's a reason they stick around!
veenaazmanov says
Perfect and easy recipe for the festive season. Just have to try these out for sure.
Julie says
I'm a big fan of crinkle cookies. These chewy, fudgy, perfectly chocolatey ones will go great on my cookie plate during the holidays.
Joyce says
These were a hit! Soft, decadent, and chewy, my favorite way to have cookies. I had to make another batch all for myself! Thank you for this recipe!
Judette says
I made these last night and the taste is amazing but the cocoa powder and light brown sugar did not melt properly and you can taste and feel the texture on every bite. I am not a baker and I am just starting so I just follow whatever the recipe says. Haha. Will try this recipe again but I'll try sifting the dry ingredients first before mixing them altogether and making sure there's no texture and it has a smooth mixture before I chill it. Glad for this recipe though!