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.
Can I leave the dough in the fridge for a week
a week might be a bit too long - but 3 days would work!
What's the best level to have the oven rack set to? I feel like I've read before that up high is better for the cracked effect...is that what you do? Thanks!
mine is at the second to highest!
These were a real hit with my family. I added about one ounce of Triple Sec for a little extra flavour....wow. Chewey on the inside, crispy on the outside.
I made these and my son loved them, basically right out of the oven! Do they freeze well?
they sure do!! I actually love eating them frozen
I made these and they turned out soooo amazing my kids and the while family loved them so much I'm actually making more right now 🙂 Thank you for this recipe, these have been my dads favorite cookies since he was a boy and he hadn't had them taste this close to his mother's (my grandma) cookies since she passed away 15 years ago. So again these were easy and so good!!! I can't imagine that anyone couldn't make these or they didn't crinkle right, as long as you go by the directions they will turn out perfect!!
Happy Holidays Gwen!!! xoxo
I add mint chocolate chips, everyone loves thems
GENIUS
Oh no. Now I will have to make a batch of these for St. Patricks day! I also considered pushing some Hershey's Peppermint Kisses in the originals as they came out of the oven. ☺️
Gaby, I just got my dough made and in the fridge. I've seen many pics of the cookies on recipe sites where the powdered sugar looked dark on the cookie. Maybe from being handled to much? How do I make sure that it is perfectly white, like yours. I'm a perfectionist. Sometimes a good thing. Sometimes not. lol
Btw, I tasted the dough. Its amazing! Used to work with a lady that made these for every holiday through the year. The dough tastes just like hers. Been looking for the perfect recipe for a long time! Pretty sure I just found it. 🙂
just make sure to really coat it well with powdered sugar and then handle it very carefully before putting it on the baking sheet! Just use 2 fingers to transfer and you'll be good!
I rolled each ball of cookie dough in granulated sugar and then rolled it in powdered sugar--worked like a charm--
I made them! They are absolutely perfect! I sprayed my hands very lightly to roll the balls. Then put them in the ps. I used a fork to toss them around in it as to not handle so much. They taste just like my old co-workers cookies! Nice and gooey inside with that little crisp along the crinkles. I'm really proud of them. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I hope you have a very blessed Christmas and the most amazing year ahead! ❤️
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes on this cookies! So easy to make and oh my God they are the best homemade cookies ever. A fudge brownie tasting cookie!!!!!! I made these for our family Christmas. I don't want to share these cookies so now I'll have to make another batch just for us!!!
I added these to my Christmas collection, delicious! I'm trying your molasses cookies now, thanks!
Made these & they were ahhmazing!! Thnx!!!
what did i do wrong? the dough was really runny but I followed every step above. The cookies ended up being really light and fluffy (and no, there was no 'rolling balls' - instead i dropped the drips into the xxx sugar and used about 4 spoons to transfer them around.) They still have great flavor, but i'm wondering what i did wrong?
the dough was runny? And you made no substitutions and all the measurements were as specified? LMK! Happy to help troubleshoot
IDK, but I was wondering if you used powdered sugar instead of regular sugar in the dough?
When I made the dough It wasn't what I would call 'runny'. It was more like an uncooked brownie batter. The batter has to be chilled. Once you chill them for the three hours, then you take a small enough pinch at a time and roll into a one inch ball. It says 2 inches, I think. Like mine bite size. Lol Then you roll the ball in the powdered sugar. You said you didn't chill it. I think that may have been the problem. ,
I followed the recipe precisely - mine are flat, and they were doughy after 10 minutes of baking, so I put them back for a few minutes (got 45 quantity as I wanted them a little smaller). They are fairly cool now, but i know the texture is not what it should be - they are being picked up now and I dont have time to make more - what went wrong?!
OMG I am making these right now and, wow! They are delicious! I was worried because when I find recipes on Pinterest they are either hit or miss. These are soo good. They are pretty much a brownie as a cookie with powdered sugar on them. A bit of a crisp to the edge but the middle is nice and gooey. They will definitely be a staple cookie every Christmas from now on.
So glad you enjoyed them!! xx
Brownie as a cookie? You sold me!
Can you sub the veg oil for butter or another oil?
I haven't tried it with butter but another oil should absolutely work
Can I refrigerate the dough over night?
absolutely
How many eggs?
it says in the recipe!