Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are fudgy, chewy, “please don’t interrupt me” delicious! I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t rave over this easy chocolate crinkle recipe.
This Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe is one that I made as a kid and have continued baking for my own crew. It’s a hands-down family favorite! I think you’ll love Chocolate Crinkles, too.
Many people relegate Chocolate Crinkles to the holidays only. Not me! If you love chocolate, fudgy cookies you will never find one that satisfies like this chocolate crinkle cookies recipe.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies rise and puff up as they bake, and then settle into crinkled fudgy perfection as they are cooling. The edges are a little bit crisp and everything else about these scrumptious cookies is chewy, fudgy chocolate heaven.
If you’re the person who loves the brownies in the corners because they have more edges, these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are for you.
And friend … if you’re the person who wants the brownie from the middle of the pan because its soft, chewy, fudgy yum, well then Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are for you, too. 🤣
This crazy good Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe has it all! You’re gonna love them!
The Ingredients
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies require the usual cast of cookie ingredient characters. You will likely have all of them in your pantry.
- Butter
- Sugar
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Baking Cocoa, not hot chocolate drink mix.)
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Powdered Sugar, for rolling cookie dough in
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Chocolate Crinkles are simple to make. They require a little pre-planning because the dough needs to chill, but the actual mixing of the dough requires 10 minutes or less.
Mix it up.
Cover the dough and pop it in the fridge.
Come back to it when you have time to roll them and get them baked. I have successfully kept the dough in the refrigerator for an entire week, just baking a few cookies at a time, as we needed them.
This recipe deviates a little from the typical “cream the butter and sugar; add the eggs” method, so I’m including a couple of photos for you.
- Start by putting the butter, sugar, cocoa and vanilla in the bowl of your mixer (or in a mixing bowl if you’re making these by hand).
- Mix them until everything is combined. (The mixture will look grainy and chocolatey.)
- Then you can mix in the eggs.
- Once the eggs are mixed in, you can add the dry ingredients.
- Then, when everything is incorporated, the dough will still seem pretty sticky. That’s just right. It is thick, but too soft to roll in your hand. So that’s where the chilling comes in.
- Cover the dough and pop it in the fridge for at least two hours.
After the Dough Has Chilled
- Once the dough has chilled and you have a few minutes to bake them, take the dough out of the fridge.
- Roll the dough into 1 1/2″ balls. (I use a #50 cookie scoop [affiliate link] to make it easier to keep them uniform, but you can definitely do it just by hand.)
- Put the balls into a bowl with some powdered sugar in the bottom. Roll them around to be sure the outside of each one is completely coated. This is the point where you will roll the dough into a smooth ball. The powdered sugar will help, but you’re still going to get a little messy. It’s definitely worth it!
How to Know When Chocolate
Crinkle Cookies are Done
- Once you have the dough balls rolled and shaped, place them on a greased or lined baking sheet and bake.
- I put a time range of 8-11 minutes on the recipe card, since I understand all ovens are different. I want to stress how important it is not to overbake these, though.
- Start with the shortest time and add 30 seconds to one minute at a time until they are done. The cookies will puff up. The tops will be cracked and the chocolate part of the tops will be dry to the touch. The cookies will still seem very soft in the middle, though, when you touch them. That’s exactly perfect. They will continue to set up on the cookie sheet, even after they’re out of the oven.
- Set the sheet on a cooling rack and let the cookies rest for 3-5 minutes. Then, you’ll be able to put them directly onto the cooling rack to finish cooling and you can keep working on a new pan of cookies.
- Store Chocolate Crinkles in an airtight container. They should keep well on the counter or in the fridge for up to 4 days if they are sealed properly. They can also be frozen for up to 4 months.
Do I Really Have to Chill the Dough?
No. Not for this particular cookie recipe. The first reason is simply that it’s too soft to handle and shape. But, the most important reason is that if you bake Chocolate Crinkle Cookies right after you mix them, they’ll be ruined. They will spread too quickly and bake up flat and crispy. You won’t get the nice puffy rise and crinkly top over a thick fudgy cookie.
When To Serve Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Anytime! If it’s a good time for chocolate, it’s a good time for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies! Seriously though, Chocolate Crinkles will be welcome on so many occasions.
- After school and study snacks
- Packed into lunch boxes
- On a table of tailgating snacks
- Your contribution to the dessert table at a potluck
- Add them to cookie trays for the holidays. (They’ll be the first to disappear.)
- Movie Night
- Christmas and Birthday gift baskets
- Dessert after family dinner
- a surprise for new neighbors
You’d be harder pressed to find a reason NOT to serve these delicious Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. They will be loved wherever you take them and YOU will be respected as the champion of cookie baking!
Make somebody happy! Go bake Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. Enjoy!
The Recipe
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Chocolate Crinkles
- Total Time: 2 hrs 20 min
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
Description
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are fudgy, chewy, “please don’t interrupt me” delicious! I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t rave over this easy chocolate crinkle recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup cocoa
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar, to roll cookie dough in
Instructions
- Mix butter, cocoa, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of your *stand mixer (or by hand).
- Beat in the eggs.
- Add the flour baking powder and salt and mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes to an hour to make it easier to handle.
- Once the dough has chilled, use a #50 cookie scoop [affiliate link]to drop 1 1/2 inch diameter cookie dough balls into a bowl of powdered sugar. Roll the dough around until all sides are covered.
- Place cookie dough balls on a greased or lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-11 minutes.
- Start with the shortest time and add 30 seconds to one minute at a time until they are done. The cookies will puff up. The tops will be cracked and the chocolate part of the tops will be dry to the touch. The cookies will still seem very soft in the middle, though, when you touch them. That’s exactly perfect. They will continue to set up on the cookie sheet, even after they’re out of the oven.
- Remove from the oven and allow to stay on the sheet for 3-5 minutes, before removing to a cooling rack.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Desserts, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
More Cookies to Love, for the Holidays and Every Day
If you’re looking for even more cookie recipes to add to your holiday repertoire, check these recipes.
Melt-In-Your-Mouth Orange Shortbread Cookies
About Glenda
I believe cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be complicated and that YOU can do it. My simple recipes, tutorials, and cooking tips will help you get weeknight dinners on the table with less stress. Forget takeout or the drive-thru. Let me show you how to make homemade easy. Read more...
Love these cookies
I love chocolate crinkle cookies! Haven’t made them in years. Your recipe today reminded me of them. Thanks!
It’s funny how recipes can be so nostalgic and transport us to a different time. Thanks for stopping by Lois!