It wouldn’t be Christmastime without cookies, and these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are one of the best. Their fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth texture is to die for and the powdered sugar coating really gives them that snowy, wintry feel. Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are an absolute must on any Christmas cookie platter!
What Are Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Like?
I love chocolate crinkle cookies because they have a fairly unique texture. They’re light and cakey, but they kind of melt into a rich and fudgy texture in your mouth. The powdered sugar instantly dissolves on your tongue, giving them an almost cooling wintry effect. They’re SO GOOD!
Ingredients for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
The ingredients for these cookies are super basic, making them really easy to make without much planning. Here’s what you’ll need to make chocolate crinkle cookies:
- Butter: All cookies need a good dose of butter for that rich, dessert-like finish! A lot of chocolate crinkle cookie recipes use oil, but I wanted that all-butter flavor. We use salted butter because we always have that on hand.
- Sugar: The combination of butter and sugar is what makes cookies so irresistible. You’ll need granulated sugar for the batter and some powdered sugar to get that cool crinkle effect.
- Eggs: Eggs help the cookies puff up in the oven and give them strength to stay that way once baked.
- Vanilla: Vanilla extract always helps chocolate taste much richer.
- All-Purpose Flour: Flour gives the cookies body and strength to hold their shape.
- Baking Powder: A little baking powder gives the cookies extra power to puff up in the oven, giving them that nice airy, cakey texture.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder gives these cookies all the chocolatey goodness they need.
- Salt: A little salt helps the individual flavors in the cookies stand out so every bite is delicious!
What Else Can I Add?
This chocolate crinkle cookie recipe can be modified in several different ways. Try adding a ½ tsp peppermint extract to make a chocolate peppermint cookie, or rolling the cookies in some crushed candy canes after rolling in powdered sugar. You can also stir some mini chocolate chips into the batter for a double-chocolate crinkle! Or, add a Tablespoon or two of instant coffee to the batter to make cafe mocha-flavored crinkles!
Make them Ahead
You can make the dough for these chocolate crinkle cookies and refrigerate up to 2 days before portioning, shaping, and baking, making them a great option if you have several types of cookies you want to bake for Christmas!
How to Store Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature, then store them in an air-tight food storage container at room temperature for about 5 days, or you can freeze them for up to three months.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Servings 20 cookiesIngredients
- 8 Tbsp salted butter, room temperature ($1.00)
- 1 cup granulated sugar ($0.36)
- 2 large eggs ($0.18)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ($0.25)
- 1.25 cups all-purpose flour ($0.19)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder ($0.44)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.06)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar ($0.17)
Instructions
- Beat the butter an granulated sugar together on high until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on high again until the mixture is light and creamy (another 2 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Pour half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat on low until incorporated. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat or stir until incorporated again. The dough should be very thick.
- Cover the bowl of cookie dough with plastic and refrigerate for two hours or up to two days.
- Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the powdered sugar in a bowl for rolling and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the cookie dough in 2 Tbsp portions, roll into a ball, then roll to coat in powdered sguar. Place the rolled and coated cookies on the baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. You'll likely need to cook in batches, so keep the remaining dough chilled until ready to roll and bake. Avoid coating the cookies in powdered sugar until just before they go into the oven.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until they're puffed and the powdered sugar is cracked on top. Allow the cookies to cool, then enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – Step by Step Photos
In a large bowl, cream together 8 Tbsp salted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add two large eggs and 1 tsp vanilla, and beat together again until the mixture is light and creamy.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until combined, then add the remaining half and beat again over low until a batter forms.
The batter should be very thick and fairly stiff. Cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours. This will stiffen the batter even further, making it much easier to shape and it will help the cookies bake without flattening out so much.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350ºF and place ½ cup powdered sugar in a bowl. Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator and, working quickly, scoop it up in 2 Tbsp portions rolling each portion into a ball, then rolling in the powdered sugar.
Place the rolled sugar-coated cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet with 2-3 inches between each (they will spread quite a bit when baked). You’ll likely need to bake them in two batches, so keep the dough chilled between each batch. Do not roll the cookies in powdered sugar until just before they go into the oven
Bake the chocolate crinkle cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until they’re puffed and the powdered sugar has “cracked” all over their surface. Allow the cookies to cool before serving and enjoying.
These were DELICIOUS! I made them for Christmas and had to come back and leave a review because they were that good. I used gluten-free flour and nobody was able to tell. I plan on making these again soon!
Made these for Santa tonight and they’re wonderful!! I think he’ll enjoy them!! 🥰
These are great! I made the dough last night and then baked them this morning for my work Christmas party and they were a hit! I might have to make them again for Christmas!
I made these cookies yesterday and baked them today. The recipe is very good and frugal. I also reused parchment paper sheets to cut the cost further. My mother-in-law used to make them every Christmas, and so the cookie itself is full of warm family memories.
What would happen if I didn’t add any cocoa powder? Would it taste fine as a regular vanilla cookie? Thanks so much!
You’d probably need to adjust the amounts for some of the other ingredients to compensate for the loss of the dry ingredient, but I wouldn’t be able to estimate by how much without testing.
So good I’ll be making another batch for Christmas!
Could dark chocolate chip be added to the batter?
I saw a similar recipe but using just cool whip and a box of cake mix (and then you roll it in powdered sugar). I wonder if that would be even more cost effective!
The recipe is for a box of cake mix (any flavor), one egg and one 8 oz container of Cool Whip. I made them with spice cake mix and they were delicious. Roll the balls in powdered sugar as in this recipe.