Best Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
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These Best Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are infused with cocoa for a rich and fudgy flavor, then dipped in powdered sugar for their classic crackled coating! They are the absolute perfect Christmas cookie!
Calling all chocolate lovers to try these delicious chocolate recipes next! Super Chewy Gooey Brownies, Grasshopper Sugar Cookies, and Fudge Ripple Chocolate Ice Cream (no churn).
Why This Recipe Works
Fast & Simple: Especially around the busy holidays, it is nice to have a few cookie recipes up your sleeve that are super fast and simple to make. These classic Christmas chocolate crinkle cookies are made with pantry staples that you probably already have on hand! They do take a little bit of chilling time, but they are so simple and quick to make whenever you or your family want something chocolatey!
Fudgy Perfection: Crinkle cookies are definitely one of my favorite kinds of cookies for the ooey, gooey texture in the middle and crispy outer layer. My chocolate crinkle cookie recipe is perfectly fudgy thanks to the cocoa powder. I only bake these for 12 minutes, so they are a softer coming out of the oven! But this ensure that amazing fudgy center!
Ingredients
- Butter: Softened to room temperature.
- Flour: All-purpose flour works well here. If you want to make gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies, use a gluten-free replacement flour!
Here’s How to Make It
- Start the Dough: Beat together the cocoa powder and the softened butter to create a thick paste. Beat in the sugar, followed by the egg and the vanilla extract. (photos 1-5)
- Add Flour & Chill: Once the mixture is smooth and glossy, stir in the flour and baking powder until just combined. Chill for 1 hour. (photo 6-7)
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 340 F and line two trays with baking parchment. (not pictured)
- Roll in Powdered Sugar: Roll the dough into scant tablespoon balls, then roll them in the powdered sugar, shaking off any excess. (photo 8)
- Place on Tray & Bake: Space the cookies at leas 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared trays and bake for 12 minutes until puffed and crackled. (photos 9-10)
- Cool: Leave to cool on the trays before transferring the cookies to an airtight container where they’re best eaten within 3 days.
Expert Tips
- If 12 cookies isn’t enough, feel free to double this recipe to make 24 cookies! You can cook them in batches and keep the unused cookie dough in the fridge until it is time to bake.
- Chocolate lover? You can make double chocolate crinkle cookies by adding in about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the mix!
- To freeze the cookie dough for later, roll it into balls and chill them in the refrigerator. Once the cookie dough balls are cold, place them in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake them, take them out of the freezer to thaw for 30 minutes, dip them in powdered sugar and bake!
Frequently Asked Questions
If your chocolate crinkle cookies are flat, you might not have chilled the cookie dough enough time! For the best chocolate crinkle cookies, make sure to chill the cookie dough for at least an hour or else they will spread too quickly in the oven. You will also want to make sure that you accurately measure the flour!
Definitely! You can make the cookie dough up to 2 days ahead of time and place it in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes to Try
- Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
- Gingerbread Sugar Cookies
- Peppermint Kiss Thumbprint Cookies
- Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 oz cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Beat together the cocoa powder and the softened butter to create a thick paste. Beat in the sugar, followed by the egg and the vanilla extract.
- Once the mixture is smooth and glossy, stir in the flour and baking powder until just combined. Chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 340F and line two trays with baking parchment.
- Roll the dough into scant tablespoon sized balls, then roll them in the powdered sugar, shaking off any excess.
- Space the cookies at least 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared trays and bake for 12 minutes until puffed and crackled.
- Leave to cool on the trays before transferring the cookies to an airtight container where they’re best eaten within 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Am I missing something? I don’t see an egg in the ingredients list. One egg?
You weren’t missing anything. It was a mistake, so sorry! It’s now added to the ingredients list.
Hello! Can I freeze the dough and bake them in four days? My daughter and son love cookies, and the 4th of July would be perfect to give them these. The problem is we will be very occupied on the 4th, so I’m wondering if I could just freeze the dough and then bake them fresh on the fourth. Will they get moldy? Thanks.
I totally think that will work!
Can I freeze the dough to make in 4 days? I’d love to make this for my daughter and son on the 4th of July. They love cookies and they would love these! The only problem is we may not have much time on the 4th, so i’d like to make the dough ahead and bake it on the 4th. Will this work and will it not get moldy?
Do you have a preference on brand of cake mix?
Hi Olivia! I don’t have a strong preference as to which brand I use.. I typically buy Duncan Hines from my local grocer but apparently a bunch of their stuff is on recall right now, haha. So whatever brand you usually buy will be fine I’m sure!
I love that these cookies use a box cake mix to make it easy. Pinned for later. 🙂
these are so cute. love the colors!
These are too cute!
I love this recipe, it’s fun and the cookies are looking so cheerful!