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
Would it be okay without and chocolate chips?
Absolutely.
whole family loved it!! BIG HIT!!!
I also prepared the cream cheese frosting recipe on this site, and then I used it as filling for a cookie sandwich with this recipe. My friends loved it so much.
Split the dough 1/2 cc 1/2 M&M. The CC did 1/2 dark chocolate 1/2 milk and topped with sea salt fresh out the oven. They turned out so yummy!!
Can these be made as mini cookies? If so, how long would you bake them?
Hi P! You can make them smaller, but we’re unsure of the exact bake time needed. Bake until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft.
First, I made your Dark Chocolate Mousse cake at Christmas and it was OMG good. Thank you of for that!
I’ll make this next. I’ve made 3 different crackle recipes, some with cocoa, one with melted choc chips, most have 2 eggs and either use all granulated or half/half granulated & brown sugars. The one I made this morning used 1 2/3C (237 g) flour. I notice yours uses only 1C flour. Also, some use baking soda, others baking powder. The one I made this morning spread nicely & crackled right. I used Hershey’s Special Dark, but unlike one of the comments above, I have it say it really had little chocolate flavor. I’m commenting here on the crackle cookie to see what your thoughts are about cocoa vs melted choc, soda vs powder, and the amount of flour. I like the idea of rolling in granulated sugar as I suspect it would also add a heightened sweet. Also like the idea of the mini choc chips. The 1st time I had a crackle cookie it was very chocolaty. I’m struggling to find that flavor. Help!
Hi Cindy! This is our favorite way to make chocolate crinkles. We use baking soda here to react with the natural cocoa powder. The amount of flour will depend on the yield of the recipe, and in this case, the cocoa powder is also a dry ingredient, so you need less flour. Let us know if you give these cookies a try and what you think!
Amazing!
They fell during baking & turned very hard
Was your baking soda fresh? We find it starts to lose its power after about 3 months, even if not technically expired. Be sure to also spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure your flour isn’t over measured. Over measured flour can cause cookies to become dry and hard. Thank you for giving these a try!
Hello from France! Your recipes are amazing!!
One question about this one: are the 51 grams all the cocoa powder needed or just the 2 tablespoons? I will try these tomorow. Thank you
Hi Melanie, in step 2 you’ll combine the 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (all 51 grams).
I make these every Christmas – they are perfect.
Amazing! Definitely need to roll in both sugars for best results.
Favorite cookies!
Hi there! Excited to try this recipe. Would it be possible to skip the chilling and make these into cookie bars using the bake time for one of the other cookie bar recipes? Thanks!
Hi Kelly, we can’t see why not! We’re unsure of the exact bake time. Hope you enjoy them!
We LOVE this recipe, and made it 6 times! But it broke my cookie scoop because the dough was so hard after refrigerating that I couldn’t scoop it. So now when I make it, I scoop the dough before it goes in the fridge. Then chill them for 60 minutes before rolling each one into a smooth ball. I get the entire batch portioned onto one baking sheet so it doesn’t take up a ton of room in the fridge while chilling. Its a really great recipe!
I added 1 tablespoon of espresso powder. Unbelievably intense chocolate flavor.
Great recipe!!! Can’t wait to make them.
These cookies are delicious!! However, even after chilling the dough overnight, they spread too thin while baking, which made the powdered sugar spread too far apart…like little powdered sugar islands. How can I prevent them from spreading so thin while baking?
Hi Andrea, here are all our best tips to prevent cookies from spreading. Thank you for giving these a try!
These came out amazing! Any idea why my cookies harden so much though?
Hi Shelby, how did you measure your flour? Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure the flour isn’t over measured, which can make cookies hard and dry. Adding a slice of bread to the container where you store your cookies can also help keep them nice and fresh. We’re so glad you enjoyed these!
A Christmas favourite, we love this recipe! We made 2 batches, one with regular chocolate chips and the other with mint chocolate chips. Yum!
They came out amazing this will be my second time making these. 10/10 recommend!!!
Whoa, these are fantastic! I sub’ed half the chocolate chips with chopped up Andes mints. I’ll do again next year. Thanks for the recipe.
Delicious! These work best for me from frozen dough balls. The first time, just chilling dough without freezing, I was unsuccessful. I froze the rest of the dough to bake on a later day and they came out perfectly! I might try adding some white chocolate chips next time.
Sally, your recipes never disappoint! These were absolutely incredible, perfect for Christmas, or any time. Santa will be very happy with these tomorrow night
I used Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder and they turned out so rich and chocolaty. Highly recommend!
I recently saw a recipe for a similar cookie but as a red velvet cookie. I LOVE this recipe though and just can’t switch…have you ever tried this as a red velvet version? I’m assuming I’d just add red food coloring?
Hi Lauren, you can use these red velvet kiss cookies and roll them in granulated sugar + powdered sugar like these for a crinkle cookie effect. Let us know how you like them!
I’ve never made crinkle cookies before, so I decided to taste test a few different recipes. This one wins by a landslide! Thanks so much for this delicious recipe, it’s def a new household favourite over here.
I love this recipe but have a question, could I scoop these with a smaller scoop to get more smaller cookies or would they not spread the same?
Hi Judson! You can make smaller cookies, we’re unsure if they will crinkle the exact same way, but let us know if you try it!
Fabulous flavor! I took the hint to tap cookies before baking and they were perfect. Thanks for sharing this recipe
Hi Sally!
I baked these this morning, and they are absolutely phenomenal, like, perfect.
The only thing is that I ended up with some melting/yellowing of the icing sugar, despite rolling in granulated sugar first, and then copious amounts of icing sugar.
Any suggestions for how I can avoid this on my next batch? (I still have more dough in the fridge).
Thank you so much!
Hi Mar, is it particularly humid where you live? That can often cause the sugar to melt, even with the extra steps to keep it in tact. It sounds like you’re doing everything right! We’re so glad you’re enjoying the cookies.
Hi Lexi!
Yeah, I thought about that after. I’m in the PNW, and it’s been pretty mild and rainy, not to mention my tiny little kitchen warms up quick! So perhaps there’s nothing else I can do. Thanks so much for your quick and helpful response!
Great recipe! I used half a cup cocoa powder and two tablespoons of espresso powder I had on hand. So rich and delicious!