The gooiest, most chocolatey Crinkle Cookies you will ever try! These chocolate cookies are soft and indulgent, packed with chocolate chips and a powdered sugar coating.
These easy chocolate crinkle cookies are about to become your new favorite. I know there are hundreds of crinkle cookie recipes out there, but these chocolate crinkles have unmatched gooey texture and chocolate flavor that make decadent, almost brownie-like cookies.
I have been baking these fudgy cookies regularly for over fifteen years, as they used to be the bestselling cookies in my bakery, so this recipe really is tried and true and I am convinced they are the best chocolate crinkle cookies ever.
On top of that, these chocolate crinkle cookies have saved my butt on multiple occasions. The fact that they are so easy, yet so impressive, makes them the perfect dessert to bring to people. I made these the first time I met my husband's family and they were a huge hit!
They are also one of my favorite Christmas cookies (alongside my Pistachio Shortbread cookies), and they make fantastic edible gifts for the holiday season as they look great packaged up in a little bag with a ribbon. So basically this cookie recipe has been my secret weapon for the past decade! And now it is yours too.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly indulgent, chocolatey cookies with a fudgy center.
- Super easy recipe that is quick to make.
- Perfect for parties, gatherings, or as gifts.
Ingredients
- Butter - Either use unsalted butter or if you use salted butter then skip the additional salt.
- Sugar - Regular white granulated sugar (caster sugar) keeps these cookies soft but with crisp edges.
- Eggs - Large eggs, free range if possible.
- Flour - All-purpose flour (plain flour) for the best texture and structure.
- Cocoa Powder - Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for fudgy cookies. You can also use natural/unsweetened cocoa powder instead, but the texture will be slightly more cakey.
- Baking Powder - A little baking powder gives these cookies just the right amount of lift without making them too light and cakey.
- Vanilla - Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste provides a base for the chocolate flavor to build on.
- Chocolate Chips - You can use any chocolate chips you like. I prefer milk chocolate in this recipe but go with your favorite.
- Powdered Sugar - Also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar, this is used to coat the cookies and give them that beautiful crinkle look.
Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature before you begin.
See the recipe card for quantities and the full recipe.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Sift
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix to combine, then set aside.
Beat butter and sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature butter and white sugar until combined.
Add eggs and vanilla
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Dry Ingredients
Add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until incorporated.
Add Chocolate Chips
Pour in the chocolate chips and mix until they are evenly dispersed throughout the cookie dough.
Chill Dough
The cookie dough will be very soft. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for one hour so it becomes easier to work with.
In the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, and prepare one small bowl of powdered sugar and one small bowl with a little bit of regular sugar.
Make Ahead
If you want to, you can make the dough ahead of time and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before rolling and baking.
Roll Cookie Dough
Scoop dough with a small cookie scoop or a spoon and roll into balls, about the size of a walnut.
Roll each of the cookie dough balls in regular sugar to coat, then roll them in a generous coating of powdered sugar.
The regular sugar coating is not strictly necessary, but it is the best way I have found to prevent the powdered sugar from melting or discoloring.
Place the cookie balls onto the prepared baking sheet with plenty of room for spreading.
Bake Cookies
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes on the middle oven rack (you may need to do multiple batches).
After the baking time the cookies will still be very soft, but if they still look wet on top, give them an extra minute or two.
The baked cookies will continue to bake after you take them out of the oven, so let them sit on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Tip for perfectly round cookies:
If your cookies don't turn out perfectly round after they spread, you can do the 'cookie scoot' to make them perfect.
Take a circular cookie cutter that is a little larger than your cookies and gently move it in circles around the edge of the cookies immediately after they come out of the oven.
Variations
Even though I am convinced this is already the best chocolate crinkle cookie recipe out there, here are a few ideas for ways you could change them up.
- White or dark chocolate chips - You can use any kind of chocolate chips you like, or add two different kinds to make double chocolate chip cookies.
- Mocha Crinkle Cookies - These cookies work really well as a mocha cookie if you are a coffee lover. Add 1-2 teaspoon of instant espresso powder, dissolved in 2 teaspoon hot water to the cookie dough at the same time as the vanilla extract.
- Add Decoration - While crinkle cookies are already classic Christmas cookies, you could add a few festive sprinkles on top by drizzling a thin line of melted chocolate on top of the cookie and placing some sprinkles on there.
This would also work well for Valentine's Day, or any time of year really.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer - You can make this crinkle cookie recipe in a stand mixer but it's not necessary. You can easily just do it with a large bowl and a hand mixer, or even just a wooden spoon.
- Baking Sheet - Use a large cookie sheet so you can leave plenty of room between each cookie ball as they will spread as they bake.
- Cookie Scoop - I like to use a small cookie scoop to ensure that each cookie is the same size. You can just use a spoon and eyeball it though.
- Cookie Lifter - Using a cookie lifter is the best way to transfer your baked cookies without damaging them while they are still warm.
Storage
Store your chocolate crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will be good like this for 5-7 days.
FAQ
Yes, you can freeze crinkle cookies. I recommend freezing the unbaked dough balls so you can still enjoy freshly baked cookies when you want them.
To do this, roll the dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours until they feel firm. Then transfer dough balls to a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to enjoy, let them thaw on the countertop for 30 minutes before coating and baking as normal.
You can make the dough a day or two in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
While crinkle cookies may all look similar, the real magic is in the texture and flavor of the cookie. A lot of crinkle cookie recipes are fluffy and cakey, which is great if that is what you like. But I prefer a gooey cookie, so these chocolate crinkle cookies are super fudgy and chocolatey.
In fact, in my bakery, we used to call these 'Truffle Dough Cookies' because they had such a fudgy, truffle-like texture. I renamed them to chocolate crinkle cookies on the blog though so people could find the recipe!
This is not strictly necessary, but rolling the dough balls in a coating of regular sugar first helps to prevent the powdered sugar from melting or discoloring as it bakes, and ensures that the cookies have a beautiful, white crinkle coating on top.
More Easy Cookies
If you love making cookies that are easy but impressive, check out some of these other cookie recipes:
Recipe
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 stick Butter 114g (room temperature)
- 1 cup Sugar 200g (plus extra for rolling)
- 1 cup All-purpose Flour 120g
- ⅓ cup Cocoa Powder 35g
- 2 Eggs large (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cups Milk Chocolate Chips 225g
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar for coating
Instructions
- Sft together the dry ingredients and mix to combine (except the powdered sugar).1 cup All-purpose Flour, ⅓ cup Cocoa Powder, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- In a separate bowl or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until combined (we're not trying to cream them).1 stick Butter, 1 cup Sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix them in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.2 Eggs, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Add the dry ingredients into the batter and mix until incorporated.
- Pour in the chocolate chips and stir them until they are evenly dispersed through the cookie dough.1 ½ cups Milk Chocolate Chips
- Cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Prepare two small bowls, one with powdered sugar and one with regular sugar.½ cup Powdered Sugar
- Scoop the cookie dough and roll it into walnut-sized balls. I like to use a small cookie scoop but you can just use a spoon. It is a very soft dough so this can get a little messy!
- Roll each ball in white sugar to coat completely, then roll in powdered sugar, coating generously. Place on the cookie sheet with space for them to spread. (the first sugar coating is optional, but it prevents the powdered sugar from melting and getting discolored).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. You may need to do multiple batches to make all the cookies depending on the size of your baking sheet. When they are done, they will still be very soft. If they still look wet on top, bake for another minute or two.
- The cookies will still be very soft and fragile when coming out of the oven, allow them to sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
It really helps and I love hearing all your feedback!
Nutrition
Recipe
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 stick Butter 114g (room temperature)
- 1 cup Sugar 200g (plus extra for rolling)
- 1 cup All-purpose Flour 120g
- ⅓ cup Cocoa Powder 35g
- 2 Eggs large (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cups Milk Chocolate Chips 225g
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar for coating
Instructions
- Sft together the dry ingredients and mix to combine (except the powdered sugar).1 cup All-purpose Flour, ⅓ cup Cocoa Powder, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- In a separate bowl or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until combined (we're not trying to cream them).1 stick Butter, 1 cup Sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix them in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.2 Eggs, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Add the dry ingredients into the batter and mix until incorporated.
- Pour in the chocolate chips and stir them until they are evenly dispersed through the cookie dough.1 ½ cups Milk Chocolate Chips
- Cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Prepare two small bowls, one with powdered sugar and one with regular sugar.½ cup Powdered Sugar
- Scoop the cookie dough and roll it into walnut-sized balls. I like to use a small cookie scoop but you can just use a spoon. It is a very soft dough so this can get a little messy!
- Roll each ball in white sugar to coat completely, then roll in powdered sugar, coating generously. Place on the cookie sheet with space for them to spread. (the first sugar coating is optional, but it prevents the powdered sugar from melting and getting discolored).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. You may need to do multiple batches to make all the cookies depending on the size of your baking sheet. When they are done, they will still be very soft. If they still look wet on top, bake for another minute or two.
- The cookies will still be very soft and fragile when coming out of the oven, allow them to sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
It really helps and I love hearing all your feedback!
Betsy Allen
These were so easy to make and look delicious!
Jules Grasekamp
I'm so glad to hear that Betsy! Thank you for making my crinkle cookies and I hope you enjoy eating them!
Jules
Brad G.
Bonnie,
While the cookies are delicious, I have made them 3 times - chilling the dough for an hour, chilling it over night, and freezing the rolled balls for an hour - and no matter the chilling method they still spread so much that I end up with one giant cookie blob. I am following the recipe exactly, only carrying the chilling time. Any thoughts?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Brad,
Oh no I'm so sorry to hear this! I'm happy to help you troubleshoot.
Firstly, can I ask how you are measuring your ingredients? Cups or kitchen scale? And for the baking powder do you have an accurate teaspoon measuring spoon?
If the issue isn't the chilling then it is most likely to do with the ingredient ratios being off somehow.
The other common issue could be to do with your oven temperature. Make sure your oven preheats fully before putting the cookies in, and if you have an oven thermometer lying around you could also check if your oven needs to be calibrated. Sometimes ovens can be off the target temperature by up to 20 degrees which makes a big difference for something like cookies.
Jules
Brad G.
Yeah, I measure everything by weight when baking. And my measuring spoons are accurate as far as I can tell. Oven is preheated. I'll check on the temperature. Thanks.
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Brad,
Hmm that is strange, at least we can rule out the measuring! The only other thing I can think of is maybe to do with the kind of chocolate you are using?
The most common causes of spreading cookies are too much fat, too much baking powder, or using baking soda instead of baking powder.
But a less commonly known cause can be adding too many chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate cut into large pieces that is melting and making them spread.
Jules
John
My Mom baked these for years. Fudgie Wudgies. A little different recipe. I have used Andes mints crumbled instead of chips also. They are delicious!
Jules Grasekamp
Aww I love how baked goods can bring back so many memories! Your Moms version sounds delicious!
Jules