Crispy on the outside, soft and fudgey in the center, these are the BEST Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and are always the first to vanish. Coated in a healthy layer of powdered sugar right before baking, the soft dough spreads to form the crunchy, crackly exterior. Glass of milk, not included.

Chocolate crinkle cookies stacked on a cupcake plate on a wood backdrop


Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

This is, by far, my favorite cookie out of all the cookies I make all year. This was the first cookie I made when I lived on my own. This cookie recipe and I….we have memories together. Long, lasting, happy memories. The Very Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookie recipe has been tested and perfected for decades….and now I’m sharing it with all of you.

I remember my mother making these when I was little. And I remember not remembering what kind of cookie they were and hunted down the recipe for weeks when I was on my own.

What are Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, or Chocolate Crackle Cookies, are rich, chocolately and sinfully delicious. Crisp on the outside, fudge-y on the inside and coated in a blanket of powdered sugar, these cookies are like a brownie and a cookie fell in love then had a cookie baby.

Made with a dough that hardens slightly while it bakes then cracks to reveal the cake like interior, these cookies are named appropriately. A must make during the holiday season.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies stacked in a canning jar.

How To Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

This Chocolate Crinkle Cookie recipe is so simple to make and are a great project to get your kids to help with.

  1. Beat the butter until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the sugar and continue beating until smooth.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time incorporating completely after each addition.
  4. Add the vanilla and blend well.
  5. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
  6. Add the dry ingredient to the mixer bowl at low speed gradually until combined.
  7. Chill the dough for 2 hours or until firm.
  8. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  9. Pour the confectioners sugar in a bowl.
  10. Scoop some dough and form into a ball.
  11. Roll the ball in the sugar and place on the baking sheet.
  12. Bake for 10-12 minutes
  13. Cool on a baking sheet and then move to a wire rack.
  14. Enjoy!

When you make crinkle cookies, don’t dawdle when the timer goes off. You don’t want to over cook them, they will dry out. 

They’re still delicious but they’re just so meltingly decadent when you take them out at just the right moment….still a little soft and moist in the middle. It makes your knees buckle a little bit. Or maybe that’s just me.

They kind of remind me of these chocolate chunk cookies but doused in powdered sugar and without chocolate chunks. Just pure chocolate joy.

chocolate crinkle cookie with a bite taken on a white wood backdrop

How To Store Crinkle Cookies

Your crinkle cookies can be store in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. To extend the life of your cookie, store in the refrigerator for up to 14 days.

Alternatively, you can freeze Chocolate Crinkle Cookies for up to 2 months.

chocolate crinkle cookie on top of as stack of cookies in a jar.

Pro Tips for Perfect Crinkle Cookies

  • Sugar – Coat the cookie balls completely in a thick layer of powdered sugar before baking. Too little sugar and you won’t be able to see the crackle.
  • Chill – This dough is VERY sticky, so make sure you chill the dough before hand to help make it easier to work with.
  • Consistency – We love our crinkle cookies on the gooey side so I tend to bake them for a little less time (more like 8 minutes) but if you want a cakey texture, bake them a bit longer.
  • Mexican Chocolate – For a fun twist, make Mexican Chocolate Crinkle Cookies by adding a bit of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne!
Chocolate Crinkle cookies stacked on a white cupcake plate.

The Very Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are, by far, my favorite still and probably forever. The Neiman Marcus cookie is a close second but really…why can’t we just have both. Right? And since we’re adding favorites….we should add these fudge filled beauties, as well.

If you like these easy crinkle cookies, you have to try these Gooey Butter Cake Cookies! They’re like the vanilla version of this recipe and I may even like them a teensy bit more.

Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe from Scratch | TheSuburbanSoapbox.com

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Chocolate Crinkle cookies stacked on a white cupcake plate.

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Rich and fudgie, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are a must have for every cookie occasion.
5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Equipment

  • 1 baking sheet
  • 1 stand mixer

Instructions 

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue beating until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time incorporating completely after each addition. Add the vanilla and blend well.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl at low speed gradually until combined.
  • Chill the dough for 2 hours or until firm.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Pour the confectioner’s sugar in a small bowl.
  • Using a tablespoon, scoop a rounded spoonful of dough and form into a ball using your hands. Roll the ball in the confectioner’s sugar until completely covered and place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Total time includes 2 hours chilling time.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Dough can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 30mg, Potassium: 66mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 135IU, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 0.7mg