Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate crinkles are the cookies everyone reaches for first on the holiday tray. The inside is soft, rich and fudgy like a brownie, while the outside bakes into dramatic white cracks as the powdered-sugar coating splits apart in the oven.

The dough needs a good long chill, so it is a perfect make-ahead recipe: mix it one evening and bake the next day. They are especially pretty next to our Snowball Cookies. Find more festive baking in our Holiday Delights.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

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Fudgy, brownie-like chocolate cookies rolled in powdered sugar before baking, so they crack into a striking black-and-white crinkled top. A classic, show-stopping Christmas cookie that is easy to make ahead.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 24 minutes mins

Chill Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 44 minutes mins

Servings: 48 cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling

Method

 

1. In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, 2 cups granulated sugar and oil until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir it into the chocolate mixture just until no dry flour remains. The dough will be very soft and sticky.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firm enough to roll.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Put the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the powdered sugar in two separate shallow bowls.
5. Scoop the cold dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies have spread and cracked and the edges are set. The centers will look soft.
7. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For the whitest crinkles: the first roll in granulated sugar keeps the powdered sugar from melting into the dough, so the tops stay bright white. Keep the dough cold, working with a portion at a time and leaving the rest in the fridge.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, and baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months.

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