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Home » Recipes » Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

By Rebecca Swanner | December 15, 2016 | Updated on June 15, 2023 | 26 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links that we collect a share of sales from. Click here for more details.
5.6K shares
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are so perfect for Christmas. The rich, fudgy chocolate cookies are topped with snowy caps of powdered sugar that cracks — or crinkles — when they bake which gives them a wintry, snow-capped look.

If you’re looking for more ideas for this holiday season, check out our full list of Christmas recipes!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Tips for the Best Cookies

  • You can make these chocolate cookies with brownie or cake mix, the recipe is so simple you don’t need to. To make them successfully, first gather all of your ingredients. You’ll need: sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Preheat your oven to 325°F. Some recipes suggest preheating your oven to 350°F, but I prefer the low and slow approach. (Or at least lower and slower.)
  • If your cookie dough isn’t rolling nicely, place the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes to stiffen it and remove some of the moisture.
  • Don’t press down on the cookies – they will naturally flatten and spread out. As they do, the top will dry faster then the center and will create their classic crackled appearance.
  • To keep the cookies chewy, place them in an airtight container with a small piece of bread. When you’re ready to enjoy them, heat them in the oven at 425°F for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • For the best flavor, enjoy within three days of baking.
  • If you really want to up the chocolate factor, add a few handfuls of chocolate chips to the dough.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Who Invented Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?

It appears that the recipe originated in the first half of the 20 century in the home of Helen Fredell of St. Paul, Minnesota. In the Betty Crocker “Cooky Carnival”  (which features Molasses Crinkles), Ms. Crocker writes, “When served at Mrs. Fred Fredell’s in St. Paul, Minnesota, they were so delicious I begged the recipe. Thanks to her, thousands of home have enjoyed these spicy cookies.” Yes, yes we have.

That original Molasses Crinkle recipe calls for: sugar, shortening, egg, molasses, flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger.

And, it’s pretty easy to see how we got from Molasses Crinkles to these with just a few tweaks.

Swap the shortening for oil, the spices for (a lot more) cocoa, the molasses for vanilla, and roll them powdered sugar. I’m not sure who thought of that, but they were clearly a genius.

You can also make red velvet, eggnog, or even gingerbread versions. Once you’ve got the hang of the basic recipe, your creative options are practically endless.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

4.56 from 25 votes
Print Recipe
These fudgy, delicious holiday cookies are topped with powdered sugar before baking to give them their snow-capped look.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Prep Time: 1 hour hr
Cook Time: 12 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins
Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1½ cups + ¼ cup granulated sugar (divided)
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 4 oz. baking chocolate (roughly chopped, or dark chocolate chips)
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar (sifted)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Place eggs, vanilla extract, 1½ cups sugar, and vegetable oil in large bowl. Stir together until fully combined.
  • Heat chocolate in microwave-safe bowl for 2 minutes or until fully melted. Stop to stir every 30 seconds.
  • Add chocolate to egg mixture. Mix for 30 seconds.
  • Add flour mixture to egg mixture. Mix on low until fully combined.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
  • Roll into 1” balls.
  • Roll balls in ¼ cup granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar, and place on cookie sheet.
  • Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes until they are crinkled. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool.

Notes

If you live in the U.K., use the darkest chocolate you can find or use dark chocolate chips. The Chocolate Crinkle Cookies will be a little sweeter. If you find the batter is too sweet, add 1 Tbsp. espresso powder.
* It’s ok if they’re still a little soft in the middle. 
Nutrition Facts
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 180 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 31mg10%
Sodium 42mg2%
Potassium 66mg2%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 3g6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate crinkle cookies
Author: Rebecca Swanner
Did you make this recipe?Leave a review below, then take a photo and tag @letseatcakeblog on Instagram so we can see it!

 

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

 

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Rebecca Swanner
Rebecca Swanner
Pleased to meet you. I'm the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Let's Eat Cake: The world's first smart, funny lifestyle site for women.

My background is in publishing (I've worked at Parade, Men's Journal, Us Weekly, Stuff, Blender, Beachbody, and more), mostly with a focus in health, fitness, and entertainment. I've also run my own baking company and competed on Cupcake Wars, so hit me up with your baking questions!

For more details, check out my full bio or follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Rebecca Swanner
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As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links from Amazon and other sites that we collect a share of sales from.
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarTiffany says

    December 16, 2016 at 1:37 pm

    These look absolutely scrumptious! Perfect for the holidays!

    Reply
    • Rebecca | Let's Eat CakeRebecca | Let's Eat Cake says

      December 16, 2016 at 5:47 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  2. AvatarMichelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says

    December 16, 2016 at 2:10 pm

    I’ve lived in the tropics for the past 7 years, so I have really been missing the snow– not so easy to just go to the mountains! I am home in Oregon and we have been getting dumped on– 2 feet in the past 2 days! And my son and I have been baking cookies and staying warm inside. These chocolate cookies should be added to our list!

    Reply
    • Rebecca | Let's Eat CakeRebecca | Let's Eat Cake says

      December 16, 2016 at 5:46 pm

      Oh wow! 2 feet?! That sounds delightful..and cold! Would love to know what you thinks of these!

      Reply
  3. AvatarAish Das-Padihari says

    December 16, 2016 at 2:32 pm

    Looks like crinckle cookies are aChristmas staple and I’m pressurised now to make them as well.

    Reply
  4. AvatarPlatter Talk says

    December 16, 2016 at 5:32 pm

    Some of my favorite Christmas cookies. Yours look better then mine… I’m going to try your recipe on Sunday! Thanks.

    Reply
    • Rebecca | Let's Eat CakeRebecca | Let's Eat Cake says

      December 16, 2016 at 5:45 pm

      Thank you! I look forward to hearing what you think!

      Reply
  5. AvatarElizabeth says

    December 16, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    These are so adorable! I bet my kids would love them, but what would you suggest us UK readers replace the unsweetened chocolate with? Dark chocolate?

    Reply
    • Rebecca | Let's Eat CakeRebecca | Let's Eat Cake says

      December 17, 2016 at 9:55 am

      Aw, thank you 🙂 I had no idea it was so hard to find unsweetened chocolate in the UK, but that’s really good to know! I will put an alternative in my notes for the future when a recipe calls for it. If you can’t find unsweetened chocolate, use the darkest chocolate you can find, like this one from Lindt that’s 90% dark chocolate (http://www.tesco.com/groceries/product/details/?id=264587407). They’ll be a little sweeter than these, but should still be tasty. If you find the batter too sweet, you could add one tablespoon of espresso powder to mitigate it. Let me know how they turn out!

      Reply
  6. AvatarThomas | coffeegeek says

    January 28, 2018 at 8:33 pm

    Merci pour votre recette =)
    Elle est vraiment très bonne

    Reply
    • Rebecca | Let's Eat CakeRebecca | Let's Eat Cake says

      January 29, 2018 at 10:29 am

      Merci beaucoup!

      Reply
  7. AvatarAditi Bahl says

    September 14, 2018 at 2:03 am

    they look so much like the market bought and are healthier as home cooked. My kids would go crazy over these.They look just so pretty and tempting.

    Reply
  8. AvatarJulie says

    September 14, 2018 at 11:35 am

    Crinkle cookies are beautiful! But I was much happier enjoying them without seeing the caloric content, hahaha. It’s so hard to stop after just one!

    Reply
    • Rebecca Swanner | Let's Eat CakeRebecca Swanner | Let's Eat Cake says

      September 14, 2018 at 11:43 am

      Haha I totally hear you! Darn you, Google!

      Reply
  9. AvatarDominique| Perchance to Cook says

    September 14, 2018 at 11:50 am

    These cookies are after my own chocolate lover’s heart! They look so good and rich and chocolatey. They would be so great to bring to a holiday party!

    Reply
  10. AvatarChef Markus says

    September 15, 2018 at 1:07 am

    Cool little bit of history there on how the cookie was discovered! I’ve always been fascinated by how these cookie dry and crinkle. It’s cool to watch!

    Reply
  11. AvatarDaniela says

    September 15, 2018 at 10:57 am

    I love crinkle cookies! Adding chocolate just take them to a whole another level for me. I can’t wait to make a batch for Christmas!

    Reply
  12. AvatarJessica (Swanky Recipes) says

    September 16, 2018 at 7:44 pm

    I love love love chocolate crinkle cookies! I used to make them every year for Christmas with my mom but they were totally called something different back in the day! Now, I love to experiment with different extracts like maple, raspberry, mint, and coconut!

    Reply
  13. AvatarKitty says

    September 16, 2018 at 8:51 pm

    I love chocolate crinkle cookies! Already making my list of Christmas cookies and you bet this recipe will be on it!

    Reply
  14. AvatarSam | Ahead of Thyme says

    September 17, 2018 at 12:00 am

    Yum, these cookies look delicious! I am going to have to save this for a bake sale coming up!

    Reply
  15. AvatarHeather says

    September 17, 2018 at 1:48 am

    This looks amazing! Super easy to make and perfect for the upcoming holidays .. these are one of my favorite cookies and I can’t wait to make these!

    Reply
  16. AvatarMichele says

    September 17, 2018 at 3:58 am

    All that chocolate is calling my name! I wish I had one right now with a big glass of milk. These would be perfect to go on my Christmas Cookie tray this year.

    Reply
  17. AvatarTaylor says

    December 15, 2019 at 4:57 pm

    I’m not sure where I went wrong with these but my cookies spread out very much and didn’t have much powdered sugar spots left on them after baking. Still tasted wonderful so I will make again. I refrigerated for about 30-40 min before cooking, could that cause the spreading??

    Reply
    • Rebecca SwannerRebecca Swanner says

      December 16, 2019 at 11:45 am

      Hi Taylor – the refrigeration should reduce spreading. Can you walk me through your process and if there’s anything you did that was different than what’s shown in the recipe video or step-by-step instructions for the crinkle cookies?

      Reply
      • AvatarLisa Beckerman says

        December 22, 2019 at 6:44 pm

        it mentions refrigerating the dough for 10 minutes before rolling then another 45 after, this is not what is shown in the video and based on total time does not make sense, please help!

        Reply
        • Rebecca SwannerRebecca Swanner says

          December 23, 2019 at 12:42 pm

          We adjusted the recipe to include more refrigeration. You need to put them in the fridge for at least 10 minutes so that they can be formed into solid balls. 10 should be sufficient, but 45 is enough to be safe.

          Reply
4.56 from 25 votes (13 ratings without comment)

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