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Soft and chewy, these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are like fudge brownies in cookie form. Melted chocolate and cocoa powder add a rich chocolate flavor while powdered sugar adds the crinkle appearance on the outside.
Crinkle cookies are so fun to make. While I’ve tried many flavors like lemon, gingerbread, strawberry, and red velvet, these chocolate crinkle cookies have remained one of my favorites. They’re thick, chewy, and rich – a lot like a fudge brownie rolled in powdered sugar. So good and so easy to make!
Why These Cookies Are My Favorite
- Soft & chewy. These chocolate crinkle cookies have the perfect texture. They’re firm on the edges but so soft and chewy inside. The key is to make sure you pull them from the oven before they look completely baked!
- Rich chocolate flavor. The dough for these cookies is made with melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. The combination creates a deep and rich chocolate flavor.
- Crinkly, crackly texture. These chocolate crinkle cookies wouldn’t be crinkle cookies if they didn’t have that classic crackled texture. They’re rolled in both granulated sugar and powdered sugar before baking. As the cookie spreads in the oven, the sugar “cracks” creating that gorgeous effect.
What You’ll Need
These soft and chewy cookies are made with melted dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and a handful of baking staples. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Dark chocolate – I like to get a bar of quality dark chocolate, like Ghirardelli, and finely chop it for this recipe. Aim for 60-75% dark chocolate.
- Butter – Unsalted to control the amount of salt added.
- Espresso powder – Enhances the chocolate flavor in the cookies. It does not give them a coffee flavor.
- Sugar – Both granulated sugar and light brown sugar sweeten these cookies. The brown sugar also adds a chewy texture.
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- All-purpose flour
- Dutch cocoa powder – Adds a rich chocolate flavor to the cookies.
- Baking powder & baking soda – Both leavening agents help ensure the perfect texture in these cookies.
- Salt – Helps to balance out the sweet chocolate flavors.
- Powdered sugar – To roll the cookies and achieve the crackle effect.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
These rich chocolate cookies are so easy to make. Just remember that the dough does need to chill before baking. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.
- Melt the chocolate. Add the chocolate, butter, and espresso powder to a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, or use a double boiler). Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
- Make the dough. Remove the chocolate from heat. Mix in 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Chill. Cover the bowl with plastic. Chill the dough for 20-30 minutes in the fridge.
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the remaining granulated sugar and the powdered sugar in two separate bowls.
- Form the cookies. Use a medium cookie scoop to form balls of dough, rolling it between your hands to form a smooth surface. Roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar and then in the powdered sugar.
- Bake. Place the cookies 1-2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Tips for Perfectly Chewy Cookies
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you make these chocolate crinkle cookies, to ensure they end up perfectly soft and chewy.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. This is my #1 tip for ensuring chewy cookies! They WILL look underbaked when you remove them from the oven but that is okay. They will continue to cook as they cool on the pan.
- Cool on the baking sheet. Likewise, let these cookies cool for at least 15 minutes on the pan. These allows the center to continue cooking and firm up. If you move them immediately, they will fall apart.
- Chill the dough. While you don’t HAVE to chill the dough for cookies, it does make the cookies thicker and chewier.
- Avoid overmixing. When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to too-dense cookies.
Proper Storage
- Room temperature. Store chocolate crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They are best enjoyed within 2 days but will last for 3-4 days.
- Freezer. You can also freeze these cookies in an airtight container. Note that as they thaw some of the powdered sugar may melt.
More Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
- Best Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy)
- Circus Animal Sugar Cookies
- Easy Homemade Lemon Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Soft and chewy, these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are like fudge brownies in cookie form. Melted chocolate and cocoa powder add a rich chocolate flavor while powdered sugar adds the crinkle appearance on the outside.
Servings: 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups dark chocolate (60 – 75%) finely chopped
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1½ cups granulated sugar divided
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dutch cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place a medium-sized heat-safe bowl over a medium-sized saucepan with 3-4 inches of simmering water on low heat. You can also use a double boiler. Add chocolate, butter, and espresso powder to the bowl.
- Stir chocolate constantly until smooth and melted.
- Remove chocolate from heat, and add ¾ cup granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix until smooth.
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic and let chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in two separate small bowls.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the dough and roll carefully to create a ball.
- Roll the dough balls into the remaining granulated sugar until coated. Then roll in the powdered sugar until heavily coated.
- Place cookies 1-2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Cookies will appear underdone when removed from the oven.
- Allow cookies to cool for 15 minutes on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
Last Step:
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Notes
The dough doesn’t HAVE to chill but it does make these cookies thicker and chewier.
If the powdered sugar starts to melt you can re-dip in powdered sugar after the baked cookies cool.
Espresso powder can be omitted but doesn’t reduce the intensity of the chocolate flavor.
You’ll need about 7 to 8 ounces of chocolate to get 1¾ cups.
These are best consumed within 2 days of baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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