Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

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by Stephanie Manley 10 Comments

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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are very chocolatey cookie that is dairy-free. These cookies are pretty to look at and they taste even better than they look. You can prepare these cookies with great ease.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - CopyKat Recipes (1)

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Crinkle Chocolate Cookies

With their crisp, sugary coating and fudge-like interior, Chocolate Crinkles Cookies are always the first to go at a cookie exchange. But, if you miss out, don’t worry, they are fun and easy to make.

Baking a batch of thesecrinkle cookiesis a great (although a bit messy) way to spend a day in the kitchen with your kids.

WhyChocolateCrinkle Cookiesare the Best Holiday Cookies

ChewyChocolateCrinkle Cookiesare great any time of the year but are especially popular during the holiday season. The powdered sugar coating makes them feel festive, and everyone from kids to grandparents loves the flavor.

But, maybe the best part of theChocolateCrinkle Cookiesrecipeis that you probably have everything you need to make them in your kitchen right now.

Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies have been a favorite of mine throughout the years. I have made so many batches of these cookies it is insane. I have to tell you never a cookie was left. These cookies are rich, full-flavored, and perfect for the chocolate lover in your home.

Crinkle cookies are like little round brownies. They are crispy on the outside and the inside is soft, tender, and chewy.

Powdered sugar on the outside gives these cookies their classic look and an extra touch of sweetness. The cookie dough balls flatten and spread while baking causing their crinkled appearance.

What Do You Need to MakeChewyChocolateCrinkle Cookies

To makechewyChocolateCrinkle Cookies, you will need these ingredients:

  • Cocoa Powder
  • Sugar
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Large eggs
  • Vanilla
  • All-purpose Flour
  • Baking Powder
  • Salt
  • Powdered Sugar

Don’t skimp on the cocoa powder in this recipe. Although a bit more expensive, using a premium brand likeGhirardelli Majestic Premium Cocoa PowderorBlack Cocoa Powder from Modern Mountain Flour Companydelivers superior flavor and color.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - CopyKat Recipes (2)

How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Making these cookies isn’t difficult, but because of the required resting time for the dough, they can take a long time:

  1. Mix the unsweetened cocoa and granulated sugar together in a large bowl. You don’t need to use an electric mixer to make this recipe, but it helps. If you want to stir by hand, use a heavy-duty wooden spoon or, better yet, aDanish whisk.
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  1. Pour the oil and add the eggs to the cocoa mixture. Mix until well combined.
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  1. Add vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix a few times to combine thoroughly.
  2. Add the flour slowly while continuously mixing at a low speed. After adding all the flour, turn up the mixer to medium and work all the ingredients together. Use a dough scraper to scrape off the mixer attachment or spoon.
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  1. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least three hours and up to overnight. Chilling the chocolate crinkle cookie dough is a critical step, so don’t rush it.
  2. Roll the cookie dough into one inch balls. You can use acookie scoopto make things a whole lot easier.
  3. Coat each cookie dough ball with powdered sugar and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure that there are at least 2 inches of space between each cookie and the sides of the baking sheet.
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  1. Once the cookies have come up to room temperature, bake them at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell when the cookies are done, so starting at 9 minutes, use your fingers to check every minute if the sides of the cookies are set and remove them. It is better to slightly undercook these cookies than to overcook them.
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  1. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for a minute before moving them to awire rack.

Recipe Notes

It is important to mix the batter then let it rest in the refrigerator. The dough must be fully chilled before you make the cookies.

The cookies are even better if you have time to let them rest for 24 hours. The cookies become very chewy.

How to Work with a Sticky Cookie Dough

Yes, the dough for thisChocolateCrinkle Cookiesrecipeis sticky. It should be, so don’t add more flour to try to make it easier to handle. There are some tricks you can use to make things easier for you.

  • Keep the dough cold. The cold temperatures make it less sticky, but be sure to let the cough come up to room temperature before baking, or the cookies won’t spread out enough.
  • Dip your hands in ice water before working with the dough. The cold water helps prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.
  • Use a dough scraper to get all of the dough off your hands and your working surface.
  • Wear food-safe vinyl or nitrite gloves. The dough won’t stick to them.

How to Prevent the Powdered Sugar from Melting

The powdered sugar should not melt before the cookies bake, but adding three teaspoons of cornstarch to the powdered sugar in this recipe will give you a bit of extra protection.

How to StoreCrinkle Cookiesto Keep Them Chewy

While hardChocolateCrinkle Cookiesaren’t the end of the world, they are much better when soft and chewy. If you plan on storing your cookies for up to three days, your best bet is to keep them on the counter in an air-tight container.

To ensure they stay chewy, try adding a piece of bread to the container.

How to FreezeChocolateCrinkle Cookies

You can freeze baked cookies for up to three months by letting them cool, stacking them between sheets of wax paper, and then putting them in a freezer-safe container, but they won’t have the same consistency once thawed.

However, freezing the raw dough for theseChocolateCrinkle Cookiesand then baking them later gives you the same chewy consistency everyone loves.

How to Freeze Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Dough

  1. Follow the recipe up to forming the dough into balls.
  2. Instead of rolling the dough balls in the powdered sugar, put them on a tray in the fridge for about an hour. Doing this helps dry out the outside of the dough balls and keeps them from sticking to each other.
  3. Transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe container and store them in the freezer for up to three months.
  4. To use, thaw the dough balls and roll them in powdered sugar. Bake as written.
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Best Christmas Cookies Recipes

  • Chinese Almond Cookies
  • Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
  • Cream Cheese Cookies
  • Ginger Snaps
  • Grandma’s Oatmeal Cookies
  • How to Dip Oreos in White Chocolate
  • Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
  • Pineapple Cookies
  • Pecan Sandies

Best Chocolate Brownie Recipes

  • Cream Cheese Brownies
  • Creme de Menthe Brownies
  • Hershey Cocoa Brownies
  • Red Velvet Brownies

Be sure to check out more tasty cookies and the best copycat dessert recipes.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are so easy to make!

5 from 6 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 48

Calories: 88kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine unsweetened cocoa and granulated sugar.

  • Add vegetable oil and eggs to the cocoa mixture. Mix until blended.

  • Add the vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until the dough is combined.

  • Place the dough in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before preparing cookies. Ideally, the dough should be refrigerated overnight.

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

  • Take 2 teaspoons of dough and roll it into a ball.

  • Drop the dough ball into the powdered sugar.

  • Place the sugar-covered ball on the parchment-lined baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

  • Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

  • Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

  • Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring them to a wire rack.

Notes

Store the cookies in an air-tight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 0.6mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lynda

    Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - CopyKat Recipes (10)
    I followed your recipe and these cookies turned out splendid. I took your advice and chilled the dough for a “good” 24 hours. Thanks

    Reply

  2. Morgan

    Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - CopyKat Recipes (11)
    My girls loved these cookies.

    Reply

  3. Rosamonde Simone @ KetoBotyToneAvis

    Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - CopyKat Recipes (12)
    Your recipe of chocolate crinkle cookies is looking so yummy. I love chocolate and thank you for sharing it.

    Reply

  4. GamerGirl

    Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - CopyKat Recipes (13)
    I loved these!

    Reply

  5. Ester

    Why are we preheating oven as stated first in the directions if dough needs to never refrigerated for hours?
    Are they still great if not chilling dough?
    Getting ready to make now. ; )

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      It’s most likely I didn’t know where to put the preheated oven. I hope you weren’t preheating your oven for 2 hours.

      Reply

  6. Bella Hardy

    These chocolate crinkle cookies are so Instagrammable and adorable! Definitely, I will prep it on the weekend for my family.

    Reply

  7. Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky

    I am obsessed with desserts like your chocolate crinkle cookies! It would be perfect breakfast with coffee! I found your post from Pinterest! I’m also gonna pin this post on my Pinterest board my followers will love it. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  8. Ami@NaiveCookCooks

    Never made crinkle cookies before but now that needs to change!!

    Reply

  9. Amy

    These are an all tie favorite in our house.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why are my crinkle cookies not crinkling? ›

While we found that multiple factors can affect how quickly the top dries out and thus how many cracks are formed (including the temperature of the dough and how rapidly it spreads in the oven), a simple tweak turned out to be key to producing a maximum number of fissures: rolling the balls of dough in granulated sugar ...

Why didn't my crinkle cookies crack? ›

Why didn't my chocolate crinkle cookies crack? The most common reason for cookies that don't crack is either that the oven was not hot enough or the baking powder was expired.

Why didn't my crinkle cookies spread? ›

Lower temperatures are generally better when it comes to chocolate crinkle cookies to give the dough time to spread. You may also want to check your flour measurements–if you've added too much flour, the dough consistency can be extra thick and won't spread as well.

What makes a cookie crinkle? ›

Again, go heavy on that confectioners' sugar layer. As the cookies bake, the confectioners' sugar coating crinkles and cracks as the cookies take their shape. Hence, the cute crinkle name.

How do you make cookies softer instead of crunchy? ›

Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.

How do you keep powdered sugar from melting on crinkle cookies? ›

How to Prevent the Powdered Sugar from Melting. The trick is to coat the dough with granulated sugar first, and then with powdered sugar. This way, the granulated sugar draws out moisture from the surface to create that crinkled exterior while the powdered sugar remains on top.

How do I get my cookies to crack? ›

The means that as the cookie expands, it starts to crack the dry surface. For this to happen, you need to dry the surface of the cookie by coating them in sugar, use sufficient leavening for the cookie to rise, and bake in a hot oven.

Why are my crinkle cookies spreading? ›

If your cookies are spreading out and losing that crinkle effect, your kitchen might be a tad too warm or you might not have refrigerated the dough enough. Make sure to chill your dough sufficiently (for at least 2 hours).

What happens if I put too much butter in my cookies? ›

But one unexpected error bakers can make is adding too much of a good thing, butter. Although butter generally makes it all better, bakers who go overboard with it are dooming their cookies to a greasy and crumbly texture.

What makes cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Flour adds fluff and texture to the cookies. Adding too little flour can cause cookies to be flat, greasy, and crispy. Most recipes assume you'll use all-purpose, but if you want a lighter, crumblier cookie texture, choose one with a lower protein content such as cake-and-pastry flour.

What is chocolate crinkles made of? ›

They're cake-like cookies made with unsweetened cocoa powder, vegetable oil, and a handful of other pantry staple ingredients. Before baking, the cookies are coated in confectioners' sugar. When they bake up, they end up with a cracked (or "crinkled") effect.

Who invented crinkles? ›

A little history about these cookies: Chocolate crinkle cookies were invented by Helen Fredell in St. Paul, Minnesota, in the early half of the 20th Century. They were sold in our school canteen and they instantly became my favourite snack. I remember eating these cookies throughout my childhood.

Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder? ›

Baking powder is made of baking soda plus cream of tartar and cornstarch. Baking powder can be substituted for baking soda by tripling the amount of baking powder. Baking soda can be substituted for baking powder by dividing the amount of baking powder needed by 4 and adding twice that amount of cream of tartar.

Why are my cookies not puffing up? ›

If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise. Moreover, butter that's warmer than room temperature melts in an instant in the oven, encouraging the dough to spread quickly with it.

Why are my cookies not firming up? ›

Here are some common reasons: Underbaking: Cookies might not have been baked long enough. Ensure you follow the recommended baking time in the recipe and adjust based on your oven's characteristics. Too much moisture: Excess moisture, either from ingredients like eggs or butter, can result in soft cookies.

Why do my cookies not stay crispy? ›

Summer, though welcomed for the sun and fun, also brings humidity that makes your cookies limp -- not so fun. Keep those cookies crisp by storing them in an airtight container. Some people toss a piece of bread in with the cookies to help absorb any excess moisture.

Why have my cookies not flattened? ›

The most common culprit behind non-spreading cookies is too much flour. This may seem counterintuitive—after all, isn't flour a key ingredient in baking? Yes, but if you add too much flour, your cookies won't spread as they bake.

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