These chocolate crinkle cookies have soft, thick chewy centers, crispy crackled edges, and a festive powdered sugar finish.
Chocolate crinkles taste like rich and fudgy brownies in cookie form!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Rich chocolate flavor – tastes like a brownie in cookie form
- Chewy and soft in the middle with crisped edges
- Super fudgy warm from the oven
- Beautiful on a Christmas cookie platter
- Perfect for gifting!
Ingredient Notes
- Unsweetened baking chocolate – I recommend chopping it. It makes melting easier and you’re less likely to overheat it. I always buy Baker’s, but any good quality baking chocolate will work.
- Unsalted butter – I almost always bake with unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt myself. As with the chocolate, I recommend cutting the butter into chunks for easier melting.
Recipe Variations
- Add more chocolate… because, it’s chocolate. Add 1 cup of semisweet or white chocolate chips for some extra chocolate yumminess.
- Add a hint of mint – Toss 1/2 cup (or more, if desired) of crushed peppermint candies or candy canes for a kiss of minty flavor. These would be delicious too!
- Add a Mexican chocolate twist – If you like a whisper of heat in your chocolate, try adding 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in with your dry ingredients (or really kick it up with 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne.)
- Add some crunch – Try 1/2 cup of toffee bits for a subtle butterscotch-y crunch or 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. (Toast the nuts first to bring out the flavor.)
Directions
Step 1: Stovetop: Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler. Heat over (not touching) barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth.
Microwave: In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave at 80 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Be careful not to overheat.
Step 2: Let the chocolate mixture cool.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the cooled chocolate mixture and granulated sugar.
Step 4: Add eggs, one a time. Add vanilla.
Step 5: Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to mixture.
Step 6: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill 2-4 hours or overnight. The dough is very sticky.
Step 7: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1-inch pieces of dough and roll into balls, working quickly. Roll generously in powdered sugar to coat evenly.
Step 8: Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Don’t press cookies down; leave them in balls.
Step 9: Bake 12-15 minutes or until tops are set and surface looks crackled. Let cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Helpful Tips
The dough is very sticky, so chilling the dough is an absolute must. Chill for 3-4 hours or overnight. I usually chill overnight.
I recommend using a cookie scoop to help ensure cookies are the same size and bake evenly.
To help work with the sticky dough, chill the cookie scoop beforehand and prep one tray of cookies at a time, working quickly. Roll several cookie dough balls at once. Keep the dough and the cookie scoop in the fridge between batches.
Generously coat the dough balls in powdered sugar. Resist the urge to press the balls down on the cookie sheet; they’ll work their own magic in the oven, I promise.
You can make and chill the dough 1-2 days in advance. Roll in powdered sugar just before baking. Cookie balls can also be frozen up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then roll in powdered sugar before baking.
Store chocolate crackle cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.
Recipe FAQ
As the cookies bake and take shape, the powdered sugar spreads apart and cracks creating an eye-catching crinkle pattern.
Yes, absolutely. The dough is very sticky, but it’s not nearly as thick as most cookie dough batters.
The baked cookies can be frozen for 3 months in an airtight container. Place waxed paper or parchment paper between layers, but the powdered sugar crackling may smudge a bit regardless.
Yes, yes, and yes. It’s a must.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl or in the top of a double boiler. Microwave at 80 percent powder or heat over (not touching) barely simmering water, stirringing occasionally, until melted and smooth. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled chocolate mixture and granulated sugar. Add eggs, one a time. Add vanilla. Whisk together flour, baking and salt. Mix in.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for 3-4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
- Scoop 1-inch pieces of dough and roll into balls. Roll in powdered sugar to coat evenly. Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake 12-15 minutes, until tops are set and surface looks crackled. Let cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.
Notes
- The dough is very sticky, so chilling the dough is an absolute must. Chill for 3-4 hours or overnight. I usually chill overnight.
- I recommend using a cookie scoop to help ensure cookies are the same size and bake evenly.
- To help work with the sticky dough, chill the cookie scoop beforehand and prep one tray of cookies at a time, working quickly. Roll several cookie dough balls at once. Keep the dough and the cookie scoop in the fridge between batches.
- Generously coat the dough balls in powdered sugar. Resist the urge to press the balls down on the cookie sheet; they’ll work their own magic in the oven, I promise.
- Store chocolate crackle cookies in an airtight container for up to a week. Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Place waxed paper or parchment paper between layers. The powdered sugar may smudge a bit when stored and thawed.
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