Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These chocolate crinkle cookies are classic Christmas cookies. They’re quick and simple to make — perfect for the holidays. 

Plus, they’re delicious, have the most amazing texture, and are perfect for satisfying any sweet tooth! Your family will love them! 

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with Powdered Sugar  

Chocolate crinkle cookies are perfect for those who dislike making decisions. They’re kind of like all your favorite desserts rolled into one. 

Ultimately, they’re soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, but that’s not all. 

They also have a thick, fudgy consistency like brownies and taste almost like chocolate cake. You’ll never have to choose between cake, cookies, and brownies again!

They’re rich, chewy, downright delicious cookies with delightfully crisp edges. If you love devil’s food cake, you’ll go nuts for them.

They’re easy to make and have a gorgeous, cracked, crinkly appearance. Especially once you dust them in confectioner’s sugar. 

Trust me, everyone who tries them this holiday season will love them. 

How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies 

Making chocolate crinkle cookies is a breeze.

You’ll need fewer than ten ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your kitchen. Then, it’s a simple process: mix, chill, shape, and bake. Here’s how:

1. Combine the “wet ingredients.” Mix the sugar, cocoa, and oil in a medium-sized bowl. Then, add the eggs one at a time.

Completely incorporate one before adding the next. Finally, stir in the vanilla. 

2. Combine the “dry ingredients.” Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a second medium-sized bowl. Mix well. 

3. Combine the two. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix well, but don’t overmix. 

4. Chill. Cover the dough with plastic wrap. Place it in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours. 

5. Prepare to bake. Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Roll the dough into separate, one-inch balls and dust each in confectioners’ sugar. 

6. Bake. Place the cookie dough balls on the baking sheets, leaving space between each one. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. 

7. Cool. Once the cookies are done, remove them from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.

Then, transfer them to cooling racks to finish cooling. 

8. Repeat. Continue baking until all the cookies are done. OR freeze the remaining dough before adding the confectioners’ sugar. 

9. Enjoy! That one is pretty self-explanatory!

Why Are My Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Flat? 

These cookies should be thick, round, and slightly dome-shaped when ready. If they’re flat instead, you might wonder where you went wrong. 

There are three reasons this can happen. 

• You flattened the dough on the cookie sheets. Don’t do that. Instead, leave them in round ball form. If you mash them flat, they won’t bake into their perfectly plump shapes. 

• You needed more flour. Be sure to measure your flour carefully. Use a spoon to gently transfer flour into the measuring cup. Once the cup is full, give it a slight shake to level the top. That’ll ensure you have the right amount. 

• You didn’t chill the dough long enough. Remember, this dough needs to hang out in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Skipping this step, or not leaving them in the fridge long enough, will almost guarantee flat cookies. 

Tips for Making the Best Cookies 

Here are a few final tips for making the best chocolate crinkle cookies: 

• Don’t forget to chill! It’s imperative that you don’t skip or rush this step. The dough must stay in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Otherwise, it’s too sticky to work with, and the cookies won’t rise properly. 

• Use room-temperature ingredients. Things just don’t mix as well when they’re cold. So, use a little forethought and set your ingredients out to warm up beforehand.

• Use a cookie scoop. Use a small to medium cookie scoop to shape the dough. It scoops out precisely the right amount. 

• Be generous with the powdered sugar. When covering the dough balls in sugar, cover them completely. If you can still see the dough in places, they aren’t covered well enough.

• Freeze leftover dough before sugaring it. If you plan to freeze the cookie dough, do so before coating it in the confectioners’ sugar. You can go ahead and roll it into balls, but freeze the balls pre-sugar coating.  

• Experiment. Try different add-ins if you like. Add some cinnamon and nutmeg for spicier cookies. You could also add a minty extract or a dash of ginger. 

How to Store

If you have leftover crinkle cookies, you have a few options for storing them.

• To store. Store cooled cookies in a Ziploc bag or airtight container at room temperature for 5-6 days. Refrigerate them for a few extra days.

• To freeze. Place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Freeze them for up to 3 months.

• To thaw. Let frozen cookies thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours (or overnight). Reheat them in the oven (350 degrees/5-6 minutes) or enjoy them chilled.

Remember, you can also freeze unbaked cookie dough. Here’s how:

1. Follow the steps for making the dough.
2. Stop before covering them in confectioners’ sugar.
3. Wrap the uncooked, unsugared dough tightly in plastic wrap.
4. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Let the cookies thaw in the fridge for 24 hours when you want to bake them. Then, dust them in confectioners’ sugar and bake as directed.