I cannot be stopped when it comes to chocolate crinkle cookies, and these gooey ones are my favorite chocolate cookie ever. A chocolate crinkle cookie is a fudgy, brownie-like cookie rolled in powdered sugar that crackles as it bakes, leaving that signature snowy, cracked top over a soft, almost underbaked middle. The dough comes together in one bowl with cocoa, oil, and eggs (no mixer needed), then chills before you roll and bake. The inside stays gooey, the edges go just slightly crisp, and the powdered sugar leaves you dusted with happiness. If you love a fudgy chocolate bite, my Crinkle Top Brownie Bites are the obvious next bake, my 26 Best Cookie Recipes has the full lineup, and these earn a permanent spot on my 17 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes list every December.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: About 1 hour (15 min prep + 30 min chill + 12 min bake)
- 👪 Servings: About 24 cookies
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: American / Dessert
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Deep cocoa, fudgy and brownie-like, with a soft gooey center, a crackly powdered-sugar top, and a hint of vanilla
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian; contains gluten and eggs; naturally dairy-free and nut-free (oil-based, no butter)
- 📦 Storage Notes: Airtight at room temp 4-5 days; chill the dough up to 3 days; freeze baked cookies up to 3 months, or freeze rolled dough balls and bake from frozen (re-roll in powdered sugar first)
- ⭐Why You'll Love It: One-bowl, no-mixer chocolate cookies with a fudgy center and that showstopping crackled top. They look fancy but come together fast, and the forgiving dough is perfect for baking with kids. The kind of cookie that disappears off the plate.
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Why I Love this Recipe
The recipe couldn't be easier, you can make them right this second and then snack on them for the next few days. I promise you won't be disappointed! The inside is gooey and soft, the outside is just slightly crispy and coated with a layer of powered sugar that will leave you dusted with happiness.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups white sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs at room temp
- 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup powdered sugar for dusting
Substitutions & Swaps
🍫 Cocoa Powder
- Natural unsweetened cocoa (called for) - Classic crinkle flavor; its acidity reacts with the baking powder for good lift
- Dutch-process cocoa - Darker, smoother, less acidic; deepens the color dramatically
- Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder - Doesn't taste like coffee, just makes the chocolate read deeper
🫙 Oil & Fat
- Vegetable or canola oil (called for) - Keeps the centers fudgy and the crumb tender
- Melted coconut oil - 1:1 swap, adds a faint coconut note
- Melted and cooled butter - Richer and more buttery; bakes a touch more cakey
🍥 Sugar Coating
- Powdered sugar (called for) - The roll that gives you the signature crackle
- Granulated first, then powdered - Double coat for deeper, more defined cracks
➕ Flavor Add-Ins
- Mini chocolate chips - Fold in ½ cup for extra gooey pockets
- Peppermint extract - ¼ teaspoon for a holiday peppermint-chocolate version
- Orange zest - 1 tablespoon for a chocolate-orange twist
- Flaky sea salt - A pinch on top before baking to cut the sweetness
🍫🍥✨ Tips & Tricks for the Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Fudgy centers, crackly tops, and that snowy powdered-sugar finish every time
- Chill the dough until firm. At least 30 minutes, ideally a couple of hours. Warm dough spreads thin and the cracks never form.
- Roll generously in powdered sugar, twice. A thin dusting bakes away. A heavy coat, granulated then powdered, is what gives you the deep white cracks.
- Scoop equal-size balls. A cookie scoop keeps them uniform so they bake evenly and crackle the same way.
- Don't overbake. Pull them at 10 to 12 minutes when the centers still look slightly underdone. They set as they cool, and that's how you keep them gooey.
- Use natural cocoa with the baking powder. Its slight acidity helps the lift that creates the crackle.
- Line with parchment, not just grease. The powdered sugar can scorch on a bare hot pan.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack. Even heat means even cracks; crowded racks bake them lopsided.
- Rest them on the pan 5 minutes. They're delicate straight out of the oven and firm up enough to move without tearing.
- Freeze the rolled dough balls. Re-roll in powdered sugar right before baking from frozen and add a minute or two.
FAQs
What are chocolate crinkle cookies?
Chocolate crinkle cookies are fudgy, brownie-like chocolate cookies rolled in powdered sugar before baking. As they bake and spread, the dough cracks through the sugar coating to create their signature crackled, snowy top. The inside stays soft and gooey while the edges turn just slightly crisp.
Why do my crinkle cookies not crack?
The most common reasons are warm dough and too little powdered sugar. Chill the dough until firm so it holds its shape, then roll the balls heavily in powdered sugar right before baking. A good rise from fresh baking powder also helps the tops split.
Why do I need to chill crinkle cookie dough?
Chilling firms up the oil and sugar so the cookies bake up thick instead of spreading into flat pancakes. Cold dough also holds the powdered sugar in place so it cracks cleanly. Give it at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 days in the fridge.
How do you store chocolate crinkle cookies?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. To freeze, store baked cookies for up to 3 months, or freeze the rolled dough balls and bake straight from frozen with an extra minute or two. Re-roll frozen dough in powdered sugar before baking.
Can I make chocolate crinkle cookies without a mixer?
Yes, that is the beauty of this recipe. Because the dough is oil-based rather than creamed butter, it comes together in one bowl with a whisk and a spatula. Just mix the wet ingredients, fold in the dry, and chill.
Gooey Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups white sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs at room temp
- 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, combine the cocoa powder, white sugar and vegetable oil. Mix for 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until evenly combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and incorporate all the ingredients. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Measure out small ball of dough, I used about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie. Roll the dough into balls with lightly oiled hands. Coat each ball in powdered sugar before placing onto prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Make these every holiday season! Sooo good and always get a request for the recipe.
I made these last year and they were a huge hit! I subbed melted butter for the oil...just not a fan of using veg oil. They turned out great but not gooey which was fine I liked that. This year I made them again. Someone had asked how long is ok to refrigerate. This year I didn't have time to cook them for two days after I made the batter and they turned out exactly the same as last year when I did the three hour fridge time. I've recommended this recipe to others and they all love it!
First time trying this recipe and it will have an annual spot on the cookie menu going forward. Oohey gooey, chocolate-rich deliciousness and soooo easy to make!
I’ve made these so many times. They’re almost a cookie-brownie combination. They’re great right out of the oven, and maybe even better out of the freezer. They also look really beautiful and festive on the table or as part of a cookie party/swap.
This was an easy cookie to make and is delicious- a brownie like feel and looks pretty in a cookie plate. Was a definite winner added to our holiday cookie line up.
I make cookies to pass out to friends and family every year now, and this is always on the list. These are my allll time favorite cookie, soo perfect and sooo yummy!
These cookies are gooey and delicious! I have made them so many times and every time I do, people ask me for recipe! They’re not hard to make and just so yummy. The best dessert to bring to a holiday party or really any get together!
I was so excited to make these again for Christmas this year. Last year they were a huge hit, so this time I doubled the recipe (following your instructions on how to do so). I don't know if that's where it went wrong, but I wasn't as successful this time. The batter was really sticky and wet, even after placing back to chill an additional 3 hours. The ball lost their shape and started to flatten as they say on the sheet pan. I placed them in the fridge before baking but they spread and flatten even more in the oven. They still taste great but they're not the cute balls I expected. I followed the recipe exactly, leveled as I measured and used all new ingredients. Not sure what happened.
I'm not quite sure what could have happened as I double the recipe frequently with the same results as the photos!
Made these again and discovered the issue- when doubled, I had to refrigerate the dough for much longer than expected. I refrigerated overnight. They still spread a little, which was actually nice but I'd refrigerate longer to make them as pictured.
I made these cookies last year and they were perfect: gooey and fluffy, honestly, just like the photo. This year, they were still gooey but flat. What did I do wrong? I don’t have a stand mixer and mixed by hand. should I use a hand mixer? I don’t remember what i did last year…Help!
that's so odd! how did you measure the flour? scoop and level?
Would this recipe still work if I added chocolate chips? I’m crazy for chocolate 🙂
yes! 1 cup would work
Do you freeze the balls of dough, then when ready to cook, thaw the balls for fifteen minutes then oil hands and roll in powdered sugar? Trying to make the dough today and cook on Christmas 🙂
How long can I refrigerate the dough and still have perfect cookies? I would like to refrigerate overnight, but I want these to be as wonderful as they were when I made them last year after following the 3 hour direction.
Would also love an answer to this. I made them with the 3 hour directions and they were gobbled up, but it would be great to refrigerate overnight!
you can absolutely chill over night! never an issue
Can I use melted butter? I prefer not to use vegetable oil. Thanks. Love your recipes!
it actually will have a very very different consistency. still works, but won't be goeey. If there's another oil you like, use that!
Should I freeze the cookies after I bake them or freeze the batter then bake?
either one works to be totally honest! My preference is to freeze the balls of dough, let them thaw for 15 minutes and then bake
Aloha! Can olive oil be used instead of vegetable oil? Thank you~
sure can but will have a bit of a more distinct flavor