It’s no secret that baking is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. One thing I really love is learning what baking traditions other families have, and how those got passed down over the years. Crinkle cookies are a major holiday must-have for soooo many families. The beautiful white, crackled, crinkly topping is dainty and delicious, and gives major snow-kissed mountaintop vibes. They’re the perfect look (and taste!) for any holiday baking tray! My Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are like the perfect middle ground between a fudgy brownie and a chewy cookie. I’m seriously obsessed with the thick, brownie-like texture of them. They are PACKED with chocolatey goodness from the melted chocolate bars, to the cocoa powder and a bit of espresso powder to really bring out the flavors. Topped off with the soft powdered sugar layer that forms an almost crust-like finish to these cookies… they are just a dream! 😍 If you’re a big crinkle cookie fan, be sure to also check out my Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies, Lemon Crinkle Cookies, and Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies for more varieties. You’ll have to let me know which is your fave!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
They’re chocolate lover’s dream 😍 Fudgy, brownie-like texture Festive, snowy, winter vibes. Bakes perfectly every time, no spreading or wonky shaped cookies. A quintessential holiday cookie everyone will love!
Semi-sweet chocolate bars: You can use your favorite brand of semi-sweet chocolate. I used 2, 4 oz. Ghirardelli Bars for my cookies. Unsalted butter: I prefer using unsalted butter, but if you need to use salted, I’d recommend omitting the added salt later in the ingredients. Vanilla extract: This helps the overall flavor of the cookies by complementing and balancing the cocoa and chocolate. Balsamic vinegar: This might be an unexpected ingredient to see in this recipe, but balsamic vinegar enhances the flavor of these cookies and makes this decadent dessert unique! Canola or vegetable oil: Helps to create the dense, fudgy texture of these cookies. Eggs: Make sure to let your eggs get to room temperature. This helps with how they incorporate with the other ingredients. Powdered & granulated sugar: You’ll use both sugars inside the cookie dough itself, but also will need extra for rolling the dough balls in before baking which will make the pretty crinkle texture. Dry Ingredients: Dutch process cocoa powder, cornstarch, flour, espresso powder, and salt. The cocoa powder and espresso powder helps given these cookies a really rich, chocolatey flavor similar to brownies. The cornstarch is a thickener so it helps prevent the cookies from baking too flat.
Success Tips
It’s important to fold in the dry ingredients and not over-mix the dough when you get to that step of the process. Over-mixing can mess up the fudgy, chewy texture of these cookies. As always, spoon and level flour properly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level off the top of it. Do not scoop the flour out of the container/bag with your measuring cup because you could end up with 50% more than you need. Chilling the dough is really important with this recipe because it makes the dough easier to handle and helps the flavors develop. It also helps contribute to the soft, thick, fudgy textures of these cookies that don’t spread. If you’re having trouble getting the powdered sugar to stick to your cookie dough balls, one of the best tips I’ve learned is to coat the dough balls in granulated sugar first, then follow it with a heavy coating of the powdered sugar. You’ll want to make sure to thickly coat the cookie dough balls with the powdered sugar so it creates almost like a crust and prevents the powdered sugar from melting into the cookies. This also helps the cookies stay bright white – if the powdered sugar layer is too thin, the cookies can get a yellow-ish appearance. Don’t over-bake these cookies! Under-baking them slightly is better with these cookies. While the cookies are still warm, place a circular cookie cutter or a circular drinking glass around one of the cookies (it should be larger than the cookie so you don’t cut off any edges) and give the cookies a spin. Swirling the cookie should help to smooth out any uneven edges and make the cookies perfectly circular.
Storage
Room temperature: Store on the counter in an airtight container. The cookies should remain fresh for 5-7 days. (Though I’ll be impressed if they last that long without being eaten! 🤪) Freeze the dough: Follow the steps through scooping the dough into balls but don’t roll them in either of the sugars. Freeze the dough balls in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to make the cookies, let the dough thaw on the counter for 30 minutes, then roll each ball into the granulated sugar then the thick layer of powdered sugar before baking. Make ahead: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Just wait to roll it in the granulated and powdered sugar until right before baking.
