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


This is, by far, my favorite cookie out of all the cookies I make all year. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies were 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. All I remembered was the brownie-like cookies with a powdered sugar coating. Just pure heaven.

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Flour – I use unbleached all-purpose flour because I always have it on hand. You can substitute with your favorite glute-free flour if you prefer.
  • Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder gives the best, rich chocolatey flavor.
  • Baking Powder – To get the fluffy texture with a fudgy center, baking powder is your secret weapon.
  • Butter – Unsalted butter was used to test this recipe. If you only have salted butter, that will work, too just skip the addition of kosher salt or season with salt to taste by baking a small bit of dough as a test cookie before baking the entire batch.
  • Sugar – Granulated sugar is your best bet and most economical choice.
  • Eggs – Large eggs at room temperature give a rich texture.
  • Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is always a must.
  • Confectioners’ Sugar – Also known as Powdered Sugar or Icing Sugar, this gives your chocolate crinkles their signature crackle texture.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

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. In a large bowl using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the white 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. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl at low speed gradually until the flour mixture and wet ingredients are well combined.
  7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for 2 hours or until firm. (This is a great option to make the dough ahead of time, you can chill the dough up to 48 hours or freeze it.)
  8. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and line a parchment lined baking sheet.
  9. Pour the confectioners sugar in a small bowl.
  10. Scoop some chilled dough and form into 1-inch balls.
  11. Roll the cookie dough ball in the sugar and place on the prepared baking sheet.
  12. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  13. Cool on a baking sheet on a wire rack until firm enough to transfer the baked cookies to a cooling rack, approximately 3-4 minutes.
  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 Crinkles for up to 2 months in a freezer bag or a freezer-safe container.

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 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 is a very sticky dough, 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.

FOR MORE FUN FAMILY RECIPES, FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK!

Chocolate Crinkle cookies stacked on a white cupcake plate.

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe

Yield: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 22 minutes
Rich and fudgie, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are a must have for every cookie occasion.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

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
Author: Kellie
Course: cookie, Dessert
Cuisine: American