Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate lovers, this way. I've found the perfect cookie for you. Morsels of rich, cocoa powder infused cookie dough are rolled in sugar and baked to chewy perfection to create these decadent chocolate crinkle cookies.

Imagine sinking your teeth into a slightly crisp on the outside, perfectly moist on the inside, rich chocolate cookie. The light coating of sugar that gives these cookies their crinkled appearance serves as a tantalizing, crispy introduction to a sweet bite.

Past that sugary coating, you enter into a cookie that is heaven on earth for any chocolate lover. Dutch-processed cocoa powder lends a richness that is second to none in these easy chocolate crinkle cookies. I don't know about you but my mouth is watering. Time to hop in the kitchen.

What You'll Need

Here's a quick overview of what you'll need to make these easy chocolate crinkle cookies. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.

• Unsalted butter - At room temperature. Cold butter won't incorporate well with the other ingredients and butter that is too warm will not hold air as well as room-temperature butter, leaving you with a too-flat cookie.
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar - You can use dark brown sugar instead. The cookie will be slightly richer with a hint of a molasses flavor.
• Neutral oil - I suggest using either avocado or vegetable oil but refined coconut oil will work here as well.
• Pure vanilla extract
• Eggs - The eggs should be at room temperature. They will mix with the other ingredients more smoothly and incorporate more air for a fluffier cookie.
• All-purpose flour - Feel free to use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour instead.
• Dutch-process cocoa powder - You get a richer chocolate flavor with this type of cocoa.
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Espresso powder - Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate making espresso powder an excellent addition to these cookies.
• Salt
• Granulated sugar - This will be used just before baking to roll the cookie dough in.
• Confectioner's sugar - Reserved to roll the cookie dough in.

How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Mix, chill, roll and bake. That's all it takes. These crinkle cookies are so easy and fun to put together. Here's a rundown on how to make them. Scroll to the recipe below for more detailed instructions.

• Beat the butter and sugars until fluffy.

• Add. Mix. Add. Mix. Add the oil and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add the whole egg and mix until smooth. Add the egg yolk and mix until smooth.  

• Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, and salt.

• Put it all together. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth.
• Chill. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (up to 4 days).
• Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Place the granulated sugar in one bowl and the confectioner's sugar in another.

• Roll. Form the cookie dough into even balls, and roll each ball first in the granulated sugar and then in the powdered sugar.

• Bake. Place the sugar-coated dough balls on a cookie sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes
• Cool. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Tips for Perfect Crinkle Cookies

Here are some simple tips and tricks to make sure your cookies come out perfect every time:

• Start with room-temperature ingredients. When at room temperature, both butter and eggs (a) incorporate with other ingredients better for a smoother dough and (b) incorporate more air during the mixing process, ending you with a fluffier baked good.
• Don't overmix the dough. Overworking the dough will cause the glutens from the all-purpose flour to over-develop. This will result in an unpleasantly tough cookie. So mix just enough to bring all of the ingredients together and not more.
• Don't skip the chill. Chilling the dough gives the wet ingredients a chance to solidify, making the dough easier to work with. This also prevents excessive spreading in the baking process.
• Don't overbake. These cookies will seem slightly moist when you take them out of the oven. That's ok. They will solidify as they cool giving you a perfectly chewy cookie. Overbaking them will result in crunchy, dry cookies.

FAQs

These fudgy crinkle cookies are quite straightforward to make, but there are some common questions:

Why did my crinkles not crack?

If your cookie didn't crack, it is likely because your oven didn't get hot enough. Make sure your oven is preheated to 350 degrees F before popping the cookies in to bake. I like using an oven thermometer to be extra certain.

Another reason for uncracked cookies is that the leavening agent was expired. Remember that opened baking powder and/or baking soda should be replaced about every 6 months.

The last reason your cookies may not have cracked is that you didn't add enough sugar when you rolled them. The sugar pulls moisture out of the cookie dough, causing each cookie to crack during the baking process.

Why are my crinkle cookies flat?

There are a few reasons that cookies fall flat. Try to avoid these common errors.

• You didn't chill the dough for long enough. Remember that chilling the dough gives the wet ingredients a chance to solidify, thereby preventing spreading in the baking process.
• The flour measurement was off. Using too little flour can result in flat cookies. So measure carefully.
• You didn't start with room-temperature ingredients. Room-temperature butter and eggs incorporate air better than their cold counterparts, giving loft to the cookies.
• Your leavening agent expired. See my notes above.

How Can You Tell When Chocolate Crinkles are Done Baking?

You will know your crinkle cookies are finished when you see they have cracked and when you can gently poke the sides without them giving way.

How to Store

Once the cookies have cooled completely, seal them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place parchment paper between layers of cookies if applicable. I do not recommend storing them in the refrigerator, as the cold temperatures will cause them to dry out.

Can I Freeze Chocolate Crinkles?

You can! Allow the cookies to cool before arranging them in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers if applicable. Store the cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. When it comes time to enjoy them, remove the container from the freezer and allow the cookies to thaw at room temperature.

You can also freeze the cookie dough before baking. Simply complete the recipe up to the point of chilling the dough. Instead of placing the well-wrapped dough in the refrigerator for 2 hours, place it in the freezer for up to 1 month. When you are ready for freshly baked cookies, transfer the dough to the countertop to thaw until malleable. Form the dough into balls, roll them in sugar, and bake.

More Easy Cookie Recipes

These fudgy chocolate crinkle cookies are really something but I have no shortage of cookie recipes for you to explore. Here are some of my other favorites.

• M&M Cookies
• Amaretti Cookies
• Cream Cheese Cookies
• Mexican Wedding Cookies

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