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.
Hi, I've just made these for the second time and both times they've started spreading before I've even finished rolling the balls. The dough/ batter was still extremely runny after 5 hours in the fridge, so I put it in the freezer for an hour; it was a bit harder but that's all. I haven't changed the recipe at all and I've watched your video several times and followed it exactly. Everything looks the same until it comes to the rolling stage; it's just too runny. I've read the previous comments and my baking powder is new. I have XL eggs, maybe this is it?
hey Helen! Use large eggs - that's the best way to get the same results as me. XL eggs are bigger by just a bit but that will effect the consistency of the dough!
I absolutely love your cookie recipe. Its always loved by my family and friends. Thank you
I made these Xmas day. I was in a crunch for time so I froze the dough for 45 minutes and baked them as directed. They were AWESOME!!!!!!! I will make them again for sure! Thank u for this wonderful recipe!
Can I use regular salt in place of kosher salt? & if so, what exact amount of salt then do u want to use?
reduce by half if you're using table salt
Do the eggs need to be room temp or can chilled work? (also what is the baking science behind chilled vs room temp eggs?)
Room temp is best, but chilled can work for most cookie dough, (Unlike cheese cake, that's a hard, NO, it needs to be room temp). As for the why, it disrupts the batter and changes the texture of the product. I'm honestly not sure of the science, but have seen it happen in my own cooking when I didn't lay the eggs/butter, etc out early enough.
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/01/baking-for-beginners-an-introduction-to-temperature/69555/
You'll find an eloquent explanation here in regards to room temperature eggs and the required temperature of various ingredients in differing cooking/baking situations.
I have just taken mine out of the oven - they spread but look okayish. What made them spread - I chilled the dough overnight. They have not cooled enough yet to see what the texture is like - they dont look like the picture at all. I hope they are okay - I have made them for a school Christmas party today.
did you make any alterations to the recipe? and is your baking powder new?
Could you add green and red mini sprinkles (nonpareils) are do you think that would ruin it?
you totally could!
Thx!
I made these this past weekend, they are super easy and really tasty. I will be making more!!!!!1 Yum!
Do you use Convection Bake, which then puts the oven at 325?
I do not use convection
What’s the brand of cocoa that you used in the video?
Trader Joes
These are delicious! Not to sweet nice crunch with a super soft center. Wish I could post a pic.
hi, can I use sea salt instead?
sure
Just made these and they are phenomenal!! Thank you!
These look perfect! Such a great addition to the holiday cookie platter!
Love how it says prep time is 5 minutes yet you have to chill the dough for at least 3 hours
Makes sense.
Hi Victoria,
active prep time is in fact 5 minutes. inactive prep time is 3 hours. I keep it labeled as such as I'm guessing people will go about their business while the dough is chilling and they don't need to be in the kitchen waiting for the dough to chill. Have a great day and so sorry if this threw you for a loop.