Let’s make chocolate crinkle cookies. These traditional Christmas cookies are a cut above the rest because they’re as rich and fudgy as homemade brownies. They’re thick and soft-baked in the centers with a little extra chocolate for good measure!
Today I’m showing off sparkly new photos and success tips for my classic double chocolate crinkle cookies! Originally published a few years ago, these classic Christmas cookies have become a staple in many of your kitchens. Readers have said they’re the “best cookies I’ve ever tasted” and “make a double batch right away.” These cookies disappear.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies:
- Double the chocolate—chocolate chips included!
- Taste like brownies
- Soft centers, crisp crackly edges
- Extra thick
- Warm from the oven, they melt in your mouth
As classic as Christmas sugar cookies, as sugar-dusted as snowball cookies, and as irresistible as peanut butter blossoms and pinwheel cookies, these chocolate crinkles will outshine every other cookie on your Christmas cookie platter. And that’s a guarantee.
Behind the Recipe
These chocolate cookies aren’t anything new or groundbreaking, but that’s why they’re perfect. You might actually recognize the base dough because it’s my go-to chocolate cookie! It’s the chocolate cookie recipe I’ve been using for years in recipes like double chocolate chip cookies, inside out chocolate chip cookies, chocolate frosted cookies, peppermint mocha cookies, and Andes mint chocolate cookies. I even turned it into chocolate raspberry crinkles and let’s not forget about the epicness that is salted caramel dark chocolate cookies.
Some of you were having trouble with these cookies over-spreading as a result of the sugar coating on top, so I leave out the milk in this dough.
How are these different from Chocolate Crinkle Cookies in Sally’s Cookie Addiction? Glad you asked! The recipes are a little different. The cookbook version uses melted butter in the dough, so the cookies are a little chewier. Both super moist cookies with excellent chocolate flavor. The cookies in the book are a little thicker in the centers and crumblier on the edges. Today’s cookies—again—taste like moist brownies!
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Mix dry ingredients together. You need all-purpose flour, natural unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat wet ingredients together. You need butter, white sugar, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Room temperature butter and egg will mix more evenly into each other, creating a uniform texture among all the cookies. Additionally, both whip into a greater volume when at room temperature, producing a softer-crumbed cookie.
- Combine all ingredients. And don’t forget to add the chocolate chips! I like to use mini size so there’s more in every bite.
- Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator. The cookie dough is sticky and unmanageable, so chilling is necessary. Sometimes I chill it overnight, but 3 hours is perfect. Chilled cookie dough is not only easy to handle and roll into balls, it also bakes thicker cookies.
- Roll cookie dough into balls. After chilling, roll the cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough per cookie.
- Coat in confectioners’ sugar. Roll the cookie dough balls into granulated sugar, then a hefty dunk in confectioners’ sugar. Why granulated sugar first? That’s a new trick I discovered! See below. 🙂
- Bake. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. If the cookies aren’t really spreading by minute 9, remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3x. This helps initiate that spread. Return to the oven for a couple more minutes.
They’ll be extra thick, extra crackly, and extra fudgy inside.
Recommendation from a reader: substitute the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips. I honestly can’t preheat my oven fast enough to try these that way!
How to Prevent the Powdered Sugar from Melting
Before today, I only rolled these chocolate crinkle cookies in confectioners’ sugar. This works great for lemon crinkle cookies, however these particular crinkle cookies are extra moist so the confectioners’ sugar always ends up melting a bit and/or turns yellow-ish as a result from melting. Not a problem, but if you want stark white confectioners’ sugar on top, coat the cookie dough balls in a little granulated sugar first. Just a light layer, then go heavy on that confectioners’ sugar topping. I learned this tip from the wonderful chefs at America’s Test Kitchen and it’s the same process we use to coat Nutella crinkle cookies.
It’s also helpful to bake these cookies on dry days. Any humidity in the air will soak into the confectioners’ sugar, slightly melting it. Sometimes you can’t avoid humidity, but if you’re wondering why the sugar melts, it could be the weather. Again, go heavy on that confectioners’ sugar layer.
As the cookies bake, the confectioners’ sugar coating crinkles and cracks as the cookies take their shape. Hence, the cute crinkle name. I love these.
How to Freeze Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
You can freeze chocolate crinkle cookies before or after baking. To freeze the baked cookies, let them cool completely first. Freeze in single layers between sheets of parchment paper for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter.
How to freeze chocolate crinkle cookie dough: Chill the cookie dough as directed in the recipe below. After that, roll into balls, and chill the cookie dough balls in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Then place the solid and cold cookie dough balls into a large zipped-top bag. Freeze cookie dough for up to 3 months. When it’s time to bake the cookies, remove them from the freezer and thaw on the counter for at least 30 minutes. Roll into granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar as instructed in the recipe. Bake as directed.
See more in my How to Freeze Cookie Dough post.
Try these right out of the oven—they’re pure fudge. They will melt in your mouth! Have you tried these before? Let me know!
Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Prep Time: 3 hours, 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 35 minutes
- Yield: 20-22 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These traditional Christmas cookies are a cut above the rest because they’re as rich and fudgy as brownies. Chilling the cookie dough is important because it helps the flavors to develop, prevents spreading, and makes the otherwise sticky cookie dough easy to handle.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (51g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180g) mini or regular size semi-sweet chocolate chips
Rolling
- 3 Tablespoons (35g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and then beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour into the wet ingredients. Beat on low until combined and then beat in the chocolate chips. The cookie dough will be thick and very sticky. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this sticky cookie dough.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. If the cookie dough chilled longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes. This makes the chilled cookie dough easier to scoop and roll.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) Set aside.
- Scoop and roll dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each. A medium cookie scoop is helpful here. Roll each ball very lightly in granulated sugar, then generously in the confectioners’ sugar. Place 3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft. Tip: If they aren’t really spreading by minute 9, remove them from the oven and lightly bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3x. This helps initiate that spread. Return to the oven to continue baking.
- Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. The cookies will slightly deflate as they cool.
- Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Baked cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls (that are not coated in confectioners’ sugar) freeze well up to 3 months. See this post on how to freeze cookie dough for more information and a video tutorial.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Can I add peppermint extract? Yes, absolutely! If you want a chocolate peppermint crinkle cookie, I recommend adding 3/4 or 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract when you add the vanilla.
- Larger Batch: The recipe is easy to double in 1 mixing bowl without overwhelming your mixer. Simply double all of the ingredients. Dough chill time remains the same.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
These are some of the best cookies I’ve made! SUPER chocolatey! Thank you
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always a hit! I made the dough ahead of time and forgot about it and now it’s been in the fridge for 5 days, Should it still be fine to bake?
Hi Gina, If it’s been tightly covered it should be ok to still bake.
I have these resting in the fridge. I usually make the oil version of these. Hope the butter version are as soft and chewy
Is it ok to use dutch cocoa powder or will that change the taste?
Hi Raman, since this recipe uses baking soda you want a natural cocoa powder. If you’re interested in more about the differences between the two, you might find this post helpful: Dutch-process Vs Natural Cocoa Powder.
Good enough. My son liked them a lot. I thought were just ok. Something different though than just tan on my cookie tray! lol
I love all of your recipes from soup to cookies, but I have to have done something wrong with this recipe. I followed every step of the recipe exactly as written and left them in the fridge overnight. When I baked them they ran all over the place and were flat and very crunchy. In looking back over the recipe, I see that there is only baking soda listed no baking powder. Could that have been a mistake? I feel like I am a seasoned baker and have made other versions of this recipe with no problem. I can’t imagine what I didn’t do! Any ideas?
Hi Becky! The written recipe is correct. Perhaps an ingredient was mis-measured this time? It happens to all of us once in a while! Otherwise, here are our best tips for preventing cookies from spreading.
These are a huge hit – the family ate the second batch before I could get them in the boxes to give as presents! Making more and thinking of putting some crushed candy canes in like your white choc/candy cane cookies. Any thoughts on tweaks if I add in some crushed candy canes?
Hi Dev! We would reduce the amount of mini chocolate chips if you add crushed candy canes – sounds delicious!
These taste fantastic but they spread way too much. I didn’t get the crinkle effect I wanted either. I like thicker cookies. I did double batch the recipe so maybe that was my problem. After the first batch I put the rolled cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes. This helped a little bit but they are still really thin cookies.
Absolutely love this recipe! So much so that I’m making it for our office cookie bake. Quick question – how far in advance can i roll the balls in the granulated and powdered sugar? We’re backing them at work but I’d love to have them rolled and coated the night before. Thoughts?
Hi Michelle! You can roll and coat the night before. We would bring some powdered sugar with you so you can re-roll any that are looking thin after sitting overnight.
Delicious brownie like cookies, I can’t see these lasting long highly recommend
I followed the recipe and too buttery and not chocolaty at all for European taste bud.
I think the recipe should include at least 75% dark chocolate somewhere and reduce the amount of butter/ chocolate.
It’s a cookie dough, nothing to do with brownie taste or texture.
These were by far the best crinkle cookies I’ve ever had! They were soft and slightly chewy like a thin brownie and the chocolate chips add a beautiful liquid chocolate inside! Highly recommend, these were a huge hit.
When making chocolate crinkle cookies I read to roll in granulated sugar then powered sugar as to not get clumpy. I have never done that. What are your thoughts
Hi Deb, yes, this is the method we use in the recipe above.
I love baking these every year. They always taste good but sometimes the powdered sugar turns yellow and looks caked. How can I prevent this from happening? Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Hi Lorrie! See the section of the post above titled “How to Prevent the Powdered Sugar from Melting” for our best tips.
I put a tablespoon of instant coffee in the batter to enhance the flavor of the chocolate.
I love these cookies, but have never made them yet… can I omit the cocoa/chips to make other variations/flavors?
Hi Theresa! That would take some testing, as reducing the cocoa powder would throw off the wet to dry ingredient ratio. Here’s our lemon crinkle cookies and Nutella crinkle cookies if you’re looking for other crinkle cookie flavors.
I used to make similar cookies growing up with my mom and wanted to add them to a Christmas box this year. They were a hit! Definitely saving them for future events
Glad to hear it, Martha!
I have tried many chocolate crinkle cookie recipes, and this is THE ONE. All the other ones I’ve tried are too bitter. The addition of chocolate chips and rolling the cookies in two sugars is what I think makes this one work. It’s fantastic!
These cookies are insanely good! I used Valrhona cocoa powder (my favorite) and the flavor was so incredible. They were perfectly crisp on outside and soft inside. Rolled them in granulated sugar and then a hefty coat of powdered sugar. My. first. time making crinkle cookies and super easy. A cookie scoop is very helpful to keep them the same size. New favorite cookie. don’t skip the chocolate chips. It’s not too rich.
Hello! I’m wanting to make these and I’m wondering if the recipe will turn out the same without chocolate chips? I have all the ingredients except that and it seems a little frivolous to drive 20minutes to get it since I don’t need anything else from the store or should I just wait until next shopping trip to make this recipe?
Hi Virginia, you can leave out the chocolate chips with no other changes. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
I am making these cookies, but I need the nutrition facts.
Hi Brielle, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Honestly this recipe is easy, chocolatey but isn’t that what we are going for?! I don’t understand all the comments that it’s too chocolatey! So good.. thank you!
Not sure what I did wrong but these were so chocolately that I could only eat a few bites. The whole recipe was very fussy and just didn’t turn out well. I thought I followed it to the letter.
My Aunt’s version of this recipe called for oil. I think butter improved the quality.
My Mom made these for me every xmss. When she passed there were no recipes. She was a true baker. I made your recipe and they tasted jusr like hers. Thanks for providing guidance on supporting a memory and opportunity to honor our mom
Hi James, thank you so much for giving our recipe a try. How wonderful that it brought back dear memories of your mom. We hope you have a wonderful holiday, and thank you again!
I added 2 Tb of instant coffee granules to make mocha cookies- they are delicious!
Easy to follow receipe and tips! The cookies crinkled up beautifully when I did the granulated sugar dusting before the powdered sugar. That said, I will leave out the chocolate chips next time. It’s just too much chocolate sweetness for my taste. The cookies themselves have PLENTY of chocolate flavor without the extra chocolate chip morsels.
Hi. Can I omit the choc chips? Will it be less chocolaty? Thanks!
Hi Nancy! Yes, you can omit the chocolate chips.
I made these last night and I’m not sure why I always wait until the holiday season to make these. They should be year-round cookies!
•I left them in the oven a little too long, so they were pretty thin (I’m assuming that was the issue, but maybe I didn’t measure an ingredient correctly)
•I added 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients to help amplify the chocolate flavor
•We prefer them without chocolate chips so I skipped that step
But, thanks to your granulated sugar trick, I have never failed to have them look perfect coming out of the oven. Very aesthetically pleasing and the flavor is amazing. Thank you for the recipe!
These were super tasty! My cookies did spread out more than they have with other recipes and the confectioner’s sugar melted a bit. I followed the recipe exactly and also read the notes on how to prevent this so I am not sure what happened. I might try not using the chocolate chips just for personal preference. Would I need to change anything else? How could I try the cookie book version (I don’t have the book) with the melted butter? I definitely won’t be sad having to try again! 😉
Hi Amy, we’re glad you enjoyed the cookies! You can absolutely omit the chocolate chips if desired. No other changes to the recipe needed. If you don’t have a copy of Sally’s Cookie Addiction, you might check your local library to see if they have a copy to loan. We hope you have a chance to give them a try!
Thank you for the tip, Lexi! I was in luck and my library does have an available copy! I made these again without the chocolate chips and they were so good!
Crinkles are one of the easiest cookies to make for this recipe doesn’t work. Rolling in sugar only makes the powdered sugar hard and unappealing. Chocolate chips aren’t needed
Thank you for your feedback! Have you tried this recipe? I don’t find the confectioners’ sugar gets hard if rolling in granulated sugar first; the sugar is still quite soft, only it’s not melting into the cookie and turning yellow as the cookies cool. The chocolate chips can certainly be optional, and provide extra chocolate flavor.