Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

There’s just something magical about a cookie that looks as good as it tastes, and these Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies deliver on both. With their deep cocoa flavor, soft brownie-like center, and a snowy powdered sugar coating that crackles beautifully as they bake, they’re a cozy, nostalgic treat perfect for holidays, gifting, or whenever you’re craving something chocolatey and comforting.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• Perfectly chewy: The centers stay soft and fudgy thanks to the oil-based dough and proper chilling time.

• Crackly, snow-dusted finish: The double sugar roll gives you bold, dramatic crinkles every time.

• Simple ingredients: No specialty items — just pantry staples.

• Amazing for holidays: They look impressive but are incredibly easy to make.

• Kid & crowd-approved: These always disappear fast!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Vegetable oil

• Light brown sugar

• Granulated sugar

• Eggs

• Vanilla extract

• All-purpose flour

• Cocoa powder

• Baking powder

• Cornstarch

• Salt

Crinkle Coating:

• Granulated sugar

• Powdered sugar

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How to Make Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Making crinkle cookies is surprisingly simple:

1. Mix the wet ingredients: oil, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.

2. Add your dry ingredients: cocoa, flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch.

3. Chill the dough: this ensures thick cookies with dramatic cracks.

4. Roll in sugar: first granulated, then powdered.

5. Bake: just long enough for crackles to form while staying chewy in the center.

The Importance of Chilling the Dough

Chilling the dough for at least 3 hours firms it up, prevents excessive spreading, and guarantees the classic crinkled top. Soft, warm dough won’t hold shape and will bake into flat, cakey cookies, chilling makes all the difference.

Tips for the Best Crinkles

• Use both sugars for rolling: granulated helps the powdered stick, and powdered gives the dramatic snowy effect.

• Coat generously: don’t be shy with the powdered sugar!

• Don’t overbake: take them out once they’ve cracked; the centers will continue setting on the tray.

• Use a cookie scoop: it keeps cookies uniform and helps them bake evenly.

Storing & Freezing

• Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

• Freezing dough: Scoop into balls, freeze on a sheet tray, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Roll in sugar right before baking.

• Freezing baked cookies: Freeze up to 2 months; thaw at room temp.

Barriers

Cookies didn’t crack?
The dough wasn’t chilled long enough, or the powdered sugar layer was too light.

Cookies spread too much?
The dough was too warm, chill it longer or scoop smaller balls.

Powdered sugar melted into the cookie?
Ensure you roll the cookie ball in granulated sugar before rolling it in the powdered sugar. Granulated sugar helps absorb a bit of surface moisture from the dough, which keeps the powdered sugar from melting into the cookie while it bakes. Because the granulated sugar forms a slight outer crust, the cookie cracks more dramatically in the oven. The powdered sugar then settles into those cracks for that classic bold crinkle pattern. Without the granulated sugar layer, powdered sugar can dissolve into the dough as it bakes, leaving the cookies patchy instead of snowy and defined.

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If you make these chewy chocolate crinkle cookies, let me know how turned out for you in the comments below or on socials. Happy Baking!

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Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Yield: 20-22

Author: Jaegar Desjardin

Soft, fudgy, and coated in a sweet crackly shell, these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are the perfect blend of rich cocoa flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp salt

Crinkle coating

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil until fully combined.
2. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until the mixture looks smooth and slightly thicker.
3. Combine the dry ingredients: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt directly into the bowl. Mix until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be sticky; this is normal.
4. Chill the dough: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (overnight works great too). Chilling is essential to help the dough firm up and create deep cracks when baking. If chilling overnight, allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes so it's easier to work with.
5. Prep to bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
6. Prepare the coating: Place the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in one small bowl and the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in another.
7. Scoop and roll: Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out the dough. Roll each scoop into a ball between your palms. Roll each ball first in the granulated sugar, then generously in the powdered sugar.
8. Bake: Place the coated cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and the tops have developed deep cracks.
9. Cool & serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.