Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are easy to make and are quite addictive. They are perfect to make for Christmas and give out as edible gifts. Great recipe to bake with the kids.
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I love baking with my kids, especially during the holiday season. My daughter loves to read the recipe and helps me with the mixing and stirring. Which is why I always look forward to holiday baking.
My kids love cookies in all shapes and forms. They also love chocolate in all shapes and forms. So, I like making these healthy-ish whole wheat chocolate chip cookies or these easy chocolate drop cookies or these amazing world peace cookies. But they love these chocolate crinkle cookies.
What are crinkle cookies you ask?? These have distinct crinkles on top which makes them very pretty and highly inviting. They are softer and have a cakey texture.
If you want to know the reason behind the crinkle top, then check out Cook's Illustrated's explanation on the science behind it.
As I said before, these are perfect to bake with kids. My daughter helps me make the dough and roll the dough in the sugar. It’s a fun afternoon activity with the kids and they will love getting their hands messy.
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to make
- Great to bake with kids
- Cakey, chocolaty and delicious
- Very pretty and inviting
- Perfect for gifting
Ingredients
Since these are chocolate cookies, you need good quality bittersweet chocolate, either in bar or chips form.
The other important ingredient to get the crinkle effect is powdered sugar aka confectioners sugar.
The other ingredients you need are:
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- all purpose flour
- eggs
- baking powder
- vanilla extract
- salt
- espresso powder (optional)
Instructions
In a small saucepan or a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Heat until butter is melted and remove from heat. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and espresso powder. Stir in the chocolate mixture, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
Finally add the flour and mix until combined. Cover and put the bowl in the fridge for 2~3 hours or overnight. This will firm up the dough considerably.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the confectioners sugar in a bowl. Using a small scoop or a spoon, scoop out heaping teaspoon-sized portions of the dough (about 1¼" in diameter). Drop them into the bowl of sugar.
After adding about 4~5 cookie balls, shake the bowl to coat the balls with sugar. Don't try to add more then 4~5 in the bowl -- they might tend to stick each other instead of being evenly coated with sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1½" between them.
Bake the cookies for 10~12 minutes. Switch the baking sheets midway through baking. Cookies flatten out and acquire the distinctive 'streaked' appearance while baking.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
Tips
- Some of the bittersweet chocolate can be subbed with semisweet chocolate.
- Make sure not to crowd the bowl with confectioners sugar with dough balls. They tend to stick each other and will not be evenly coated with sugar.
- Store cooled cookies an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or freeze for longer storage.
- Espresso powder in the recipe is optional.
- you can totally skip it.
- for a deep chocolate flavor - add 2 teaspoons
- for mocha flavor - add 1 tablespoon
Few more holiday bakes to try
- Christmas Stollen
- Chocolate chip Mandelbrot
- Chocolate vanilla biscotti
- Eggless cut out cookies
- Buttery crescent cookies
- No bake cookie butter cheesecake
- Eggless lime cookies
I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups Bittersweet Chocolate chopped or Chips
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter (8 tablespoons)
- ⅔ cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Espresso powder (optional)*
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1⅔ cups All purpose flour
- 1 cup Confectioners Sugar
Instructions
- In a small saucepan or a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Heat until butter is melted and remove from heat. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and espresso powder. Stir in the chocolate mixture, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
- Finally add the flour and mix until combined. Cover and put the bowl in the fridge for 2~3 hours or overnight. This will firm up the dough considerably.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the confectioners sugar in a bowl. Using a small scoop or a spoon, scoop out heaping teaspoon-sized portions of the dough (about 1¼" in diameter). Drop them into the bowl of sugar.
- After adding about 4~5 cookie balls, shake the bowl to coat the balls with sugar. Don't try to add more then 4~5 in the bowl -- they might tend to stick each other instead of being evenly coated with sugar. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1½" between them.
- Bake the cookies for 10~12 minutes. Switch the baking sheets midway through baking. Cookies flatten out and acquire the distinctive 'streaked' appearance while baking.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Some of the bittersweet chocolate can be subbed with semisweet chocolate.
- Make sure not to crowd the bowl with confectioners sugar with dough balls. They tend to stick each other and will not be evenly coated with sugar.
- Store cooled cookies an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or freeze for longer storage.
- Espresso powder in the recipe is optional.
- you can totally skip it.
- for a deep chocolate flavor - add 2 teaspoons
- for mocha flavor - add 1 tablespoon
Srivalli Jetti
Oh those cookies surely look so sinful and I don't wonderr why Santa ate all of them!..so sinful and apt for this season Pavani!
Vaishali
Gorgeous cookies with awesome flavour ! Next year I will turn into Santa and grab these cookies .. ehe he he ..,
Priya Suresh
Mocha flavored cookies, am sure this cookies will definitely please my sweet tooth. Prefect cookies for this xmassy season.
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
I had baked these a couple of months ago and it literally vanished off the cookie jar! Looking at yours, I am really tempted but thinking on one side to make it red velvet... hehe... They are a delight to watch, isn't it! 🙂
Ritu Tangri
These mocha cookies are looking so tempting...Can't wait to make these!
Priya Srinivasan
aww, wish i could grab a few from your pictures pavani, they are so tempting with all my favorite flavors, chocolate and coffee!!!!
Sapana
I have the crinkle cookies on my to do list since long. Will try your recipe soon.
Chef Mireille
That last pic with the bite is just awesome
Maayke
These look amazing! I will definitely try them soon.
Ramona
This mocha chocolate crinkle cookies look and sound amazing - I love making them and you are so right, making them with the kids is a lot of fun. We love them but never made the mocha ones - need to try this ASAP, I am such a mocha lover. Great recipe 😉
Erin Vasicek
That one with the bite out of it is calling to me! These look so good and perfect for the holidays.
Mayuri Patel
Love crinkle cookies and your mocha chocolate crinkle cookies have turned awesome. Soft and cake like cookies, perfect for the festive season.
Lata Lala
Cookies with chocolate and coffee, give me jar full of it to finish them soon.
These cookies looks so tempting Pavani.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Chocolate crinkle cookies are such a pleasure for the eyes to look at and they are absolutely delicious. The recipe works so well and thanks for the tips. I used semi sweet chocolate and it worked great.
Poonam bachhav
Mocha flavored chocolate crinkle cookies look super inviting and just perfect for the ongoing festive and holiday season.
Padma Veeranki
Chocolate crinkle cookies looks so delicious & feast for the eyes! Looks super inviting & tempting...Very festive, perfect for the season!
Uma Srinivas
Chocolate crinkle cookies look delicious. My kids love these cookies with warm milk. Nice post Pavani!