Classic Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are part rich, fudgy brownie and part delicious cookie! A true chocolate lover’s dream, this easy recipe makes the best soft chocolate cookies using both baking chocolate and dark cocoa powder.
These melt-in-your-mouth dark chocolate cookies with their gorgeous crisp, white sugared crinkled tops are absolutely irresistible! Your taste buds and your eyes will argue about whether you’re eating a tender brownie or your dream chocolate cookie. But one thing everyone will agree on is these soft fudgy pillows with their pretty white tops are little bites of pure chocolate-loving heaven!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies have been around for years, and you know when a recipe has that kind of staying power, it’s got to be good. There are all sorts of variations and methods for making them, but this recipe is our favorite. It’s proved to be fail-proof year after year. Usually we pull it out at Christmas. The Engineer is our baker extraordinaire and the kids have rolled at least a thousand of these cookies throughout their lifetimes. And while they are perfect at Christmas, these black and white beauties are delicious anytime of the year!
Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Ingredients
- all purpose flour
- dark cocoa powder
- baking powder
- salt
- butter
- granulated & dark brown sugars
- pure vanilla extract
- large eggs
- baking chocolate
- half & half
- confectioner’s sugar
Tips for Making The Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- A delicious recipe always starts at the grocery store. For this recipe, make sure you buy quality baking chocolate, not chocolate chips. Look for baking chocolate bars.
- Anytime you’re baking, use room temperature eggs. They cause your bake to be fluffy!
- Don’t skimp on chilling your dough. Chilled dough is less sticky, easier to roll and prevents the heat from our hands from melting the butter in the dough completely, which results in really flat cookies.
- It seems weird to roll these cookies in 2 sugars, but it’s the trick to having a stark white crinkle top. The layer of granulated sugar keeps the powdered sugar from melting into the dough and producing a faded top. Make sure you completely coat each cookie with both sugars.
- Don’t overbake! You want these cookies to have a fudgy brownie texture.
How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Complete instructions are listed below in the recipe card!
- Dry Ingredients: whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients: Use a mixer to cream the butter, brown sugar and part of the white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well before adding the next.
- Making the Dough: Alternate adding the dry ingredients and half & half to butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. The dough will get very stiff. Add in melted chocolate, cover and refrigerate.
- Forming and Baking: Put granulated sugar and confectioner’s sugar in little bowls. Use a cookie scoop to form little balls with the chilled dough. Roll the balls in each sugar. Place on cookie sheets and bake.
As these little magic snowballs bake, they grow and spread making cracks and cute crinkles all in their sugar toppings!
Variations/ Add-Ins
For a little mocha flavor, add 1 tsp instant or regular espresso to your batter. Like chocolate with a kick? (I sure do!) Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and a dash of cayenne for a spicy chocolate cookie.
Make Ahead, Freeze, Store
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days… if they last that long.
- To freeze the dough, roll into balls layer in a freezer proof container with wax paper between the layers. Freeze for up to one month. Let thaw. Roll in sugars and bake as directed.
- To freeze the cookies, place in a freezer proof container in single layers for up to 3 month.
Other Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
- Classic Lemon Drop Crinkle Cookies
- Infamous Neiman Marcus Cookies
- Coconut Thumbprint Macaroons
- Perfect Coconut Cookies with Pecans
- Hello Dolly Magic Cookie Bars
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Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 C flour
- 1/2 C dark cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 1/2 C white granulated sugar, divided
- 1 C dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 C half & half
- 8 oz semisweet baking chocolate bar (not chips), chopped
- 1 C confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, cream butter, brown sugar and 1 C of white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well before adding the next.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and half & half to butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until blended before adding more each time. Don't overmix. Batter will get very stiff.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted. (Chocolate will continue to melt as you stir.) Add melted chocolate to batter. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line 2-3 baking sheets with baking mats or parchment paper.
- Pour remaining 1 C granulated sugar into a small bowl. Put confectioner's sugar in a second small bowl. Remove dough from fridge, uncover and use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop out dough. Form into balls. Roll in granulated sugar, coating completely. Roll in confectioner's sugar, coating completely. And place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until tops are cracked and the edges look dry. Remove from oven. Cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on baking rack. Store in air tight container or serve!
Classic Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are part rich, fudgy brownie and part delicious cookie! A true chocolate lover’s dream, this easy recipe makes the best soft chocolate cookies using both baking chocolate and dark cocoa powder.