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.
These cookies are so wonderful! I make them every year and send to my son and his family who are in the military. My other daughter in law loves these. She has made them also but says they never come out as good as mine! A great recipe with loads of chocolate fudgy flavor. Thank you for such a great recipe. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I love every Gaby cookie recipe! Can I use canola oil instead of vegetable oil or should it definitely be vegetable oil?
Sorry, I tried to do some internet research but still unsure. Thanks for all your amazing recipes!!
you sure can
It's like a cookie and a fudgey brownie had a baby. So good!
Best cookie recipe ever! Always a hit for Xmas and everyone wants the recipe.
So easy to make !
Hi Gaby! Any suggestions here? I was so excited to make these for the first time but I’m in the middle of rolling and had to put the balls in the freezer so they’re stiff enough to roll in powdered sugar. The dough is really soft and I used large eggs as directed. It’s very difficult to get into a ball and into the oven before they spread at room temperature. I refrigerated the dough overnight. My ingredients are new. Help?!
if you put a bit of oil on your hands, it makes them easier to roll!
1. If I freeze the cookies (cooked) how long do I defrost before they're good to eat?
2. If I freeze the cookies (raw) how long do I defrost before they're ready to cook?
Which method do you think is better?
I eat them frozen all the time! But 10-15 mins at room temp would do the trick. and if you freeze the dough, I would let sit on the counter for 10 minutes before baking. Both options are great!
What did you put your cookie sheet on in the oven? Does it make better cookies?
its my pizza stone!! I just leave it in there at all times!! doesnt make a huge difference
YES! This is by far the BEST recipe for this gooey chocolate crinkle cookies. I have made the ones with elaborate steps using butter, but they didn't come out as gooey and delicious as this one. SIMPLY DELICIOUS! Thank you for such an easy-to-follow recipe. My friends are now addicted to these cookies!
These are awesome and addicting!!! I’d like to try to make them vegan for my sil! What’s the best egg sub for this recipe?
Hi!
I need your help...the first time I made these they were incredible. I’ve attempted twice since and they are spreading out flat!!! What am I doing wrong?
are you altering any ingredients? and chilling the dough?
I am addicted to these cookies. So delicious that I can’t stop making them.
can you use a wooden spoon to stir if you don't have a paddle attachment? if so, how much should you manually stir the mixtures after you add each step of ingredients?
absolutely - just stir each addition until FULLY combined and uniform consistency
Would these work with a stick of butter instead of oil?
yes! just a slightly different consistency
LOVE making these at Christmastime every year. If I want to do a peppermint batch, how much peppermint extract should I add in? Thanks!
I'd do 1/2 teaspoon
Oh so good!