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
I used to use espresso chips in this, but they discontinued them. I’d love to still get a little coffee flavor. Any suggestions?
Hi Lauren, You can add espresso powder here! We’d recommend 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder.
This recipe was very yummy and easy to make. I added 3/4tsp of peppermint extract and crushed candy canes. Mine came out a bit thinner than the pictures, but I used 23g dough balls. That might’ve affect it.
Can I omit the chocolate chips? If yes do I need to add anything in its place?
You can just leave them out, Jo Ann!
Can you not put in the chocolate chips
Certainly.
Cannot wait to try your recipe and your little twist on the sugar should be great I love these cookies too they’re making them for years but now I know the trick thank you
Hi Sally, your cookie recipes look amazing. I can’t wait to receive more of them after signing up. I wanted to ask if you can suggest a way of making these gluten-free for my chur h congregation. There are quite a few who are gluten-free. I would really appreciate any help/tips as I’ve never made gluten-free before. Thanks you!
Hi Sally! We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flours, but some readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup). If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Absolutely delicious! The only modification I did was added a teaspoon of espresso powder. Love this website, everything I have tried is amazing! Thank you!!
hi! ive been a fan of your recipes and i want to try making this one too! but problem is my oven doesnt have 175-177c (350f) i can only do either 170c or 180c please and thank you 🙂
Hi Jun, I would try 180º, and shorten the bake time a bit. If your oven is convection/fan-assisted, go with 170º instead.
I’m going to make the double chocolate biscuits for Christmas
Added 2 tbs cinnamon and a scant teaspoon cayenne pepper for a play on Mexican hot chocolate cookies, so yummy!
I followed the instructions re: rolling in granulated sugar first, then heavily coating in powdered sugar, but did not end up with the “snowy” beautiful white crinkle coating … it’s pale and brittle looking. Still delicious, but not very pretty for my annual cookie box.
Any thoughts?
TYIA
Hi Rebecca, love that play on these cookies, what a fun idea! If your powdered sugar topping melts too much and becomes yellow-ish, you can simply dust the cooled cookies with some more powdered sugar, through a fine-mesh sieve or sifter. Hope this helps!
Followed the recipe as is and the cookies are perfect. I wish I had added peppermint but will next time. I refrigerated for 2 days and then froze until I needed them. I love and appreciate a recipe with freezing instructions as I prefer to prep when I have time and bake when needed. I used my medium scoop and had over 2 dozen.
Very disappointed. New I needed more than the 20-22 cookies you indicated it would yield, so doubled the recipe. Scooped 1.5 tbsp as indicated, but only came out with 24 cookies.
This recipe failed. I believe it’s missing liquid ingredients, such as another egg and some oil.
I added 3 tbsp of egg whites and that seemed to do the trick (did not refrigerate)! Still, a bit bitter, so maybe adding a few extra tbsp of sugar as well would help.
I’ve tried this recipe twice and weighed everything, so not sure why others aren’t experience dryness + spreading issues.
My Mom used to make these, so I couldn’t wait to try. These are actually the second cookie I’ve ever tried to make and they came out delicious! I’ve been trying different variations like peppermint chips or peanut butter chips. Even rolling them in combination of sugar, cayenne and cinnamon was amazing!! So far that’s my favorite way
I love all your recipes! Honestly, I check your website first n foremost! These are so delicious and easy to make. Thanks so much!
Does the recipe have to be chilled for 3 hours or 3 days?
Hi Lizzie, The dough needs to chill for at least three hours. If you wish to make the dough in advance, you can chill it for as long as three days before baking.
hi sally thank you for sharing your recipes ,I would like to know if I can reduce the sugar by 50 gm for the double chocolate crinkles.
Hi Sally, while you can try reducing the sugar, keep in mind that it plays an important role in the taste, texture, and spread of the cookies, so the results may be different than intended.
Made this recipe a few times before!
Just one question what do i change if i use salted butter and not unsalted? Do i just omit the salt?
Hi Abby, you can omit the salt in this recipe. See our salted vs unsalted butter post for more details. Enjoy!
If I wanted to add espresso powder, would a teaspoon be too much?
Hi Carol, you can absolutely add espresso powder here! We’d recommend 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder.
These cookies are so tasty and they didn’t last long! I made them with my pre-school aged daughter and she loved them too! We love everything we have made from your site. Thank you Sally for creating delicious recipes. 🙂
Is there any special instructions on shipping them to family in other states?
Hi Theresa, These cookies are typically good for up to a week at room temperature after they have been thawed. If it’s helpful, here are all of our tips on the best way to ship cookies.
Can I skip the brown sugar or is it necessary?
Hi Paul, we do not recommend omitting the brown sugar. The cookies’ taste and spread will be off.
Amazing crinkle cookie with a perfect brownie-like taste and a luscious coating of powdered sugar. Do not skip the chocolate chips, they’re key. I made them to give to a friend last Christmas and she and her family loved them! Definitely a holiday staple and so easy to make.
Will it be okay if I were to cover the red velvet chocolate chip cookies in powdered sugar and granulated sugar instead the recipe that is on this web page?.
Hi Steve, here is our red velvet chocolate chip cookies recipe—see recipe Notes there for a crinkle version. Enjoy!
My daughter made this recipe and it was like biting into a hot chocolate lava cake. Delicious!
I LOVE this recipe and have made it for so many people! So tasty!
This cookie is really tasty but spread a little too much. I did roll it in granulated sugar and chilled the dough. Is there something else that I can do?
I have made these several times now. I will be baking more soon, by request, for an event that I’m headed to. Thank you!
I have made these several times and love them, but mine really spread. They are not thick and cKey/fudgy, but spread more like a pan banged cookie. I don’t really mind bc they’re still delicious, but am curious why mine spread more
Hi Laura! Here’s all our best tips to prevent cookies from spreading.
Can I substitute sa butter into oil?thankyou!
Hi Ronalyn, you need a fat that is solid at room temperature so that it can be properly creamed together with the sugars. You could try solid coconut oil in place of the butter, but do not use a liquid oil. Results will be a bit different using coconut oil, too.
I really loved the flavor and look of these cookies, but the icing sugar seemed to stick thicker in some spots. I’m thinking perhaps next time I will try rolling in granulated sugar, like when making Ginger Sparkler cookies. I’m hoping it will tone down the sweetness as it will be easier to control the amount of sugar when rolling…