Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Moist and fudgy on the inside, like a brownie, these chocolate crinkle cookies are sweet, with a crackly cookie crust! Great for holiday baking!

If you’re looking for a holiday baking recipe that everyone will love, these chewy chocolate crinkle cookies definitely fit the bill!

Now that we’re officially into December, I’m kicking into Christmas high-gear… and it’s got me thinking about Christmas goodies, like my Crockpot Candy Peanut Clusters.  As much as I love the idea behind holiday baking; there just never seems to be much time this time of year, so I’m all about holiday goodies that don’t take forever and a day to accomplish.

I’ve been a fan of chocolate crinkle cookies for a long time now, but I really wanted to find a way to make them with real chocolate, and without vegetable oil.  There’s nothing wrong with using vegetable oil, but whenever I’ve posted a recipe using it, I get quite a few emails asking how to swap it out… so I knew there had to be a way, and I’ve finally done it!

WHAT ARE CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES?

They’re a delightful combo of a cookie with a brownie-like center.  Rich and fudgy, these cookies are rolled in powdered sugar before baking, and when rising, the tops “crack” leaving the cracked pattern on top, with the rich chocolate cookie peeking out from behind the sweet powdered sugar.

DO YOU HAVE TO CHILL CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIE DOUGH?

Sadly yes.  I know it’s a pain to have to plan ahead, but if you don’t chill the dough, a few things can happen:

1. The dough will be SO sticky that you likely won’t be able to roll it into balls.
2. The cookies will spread a lot during baking and you’ll end up with super thin cookies.
3. The cookies won’t taste as deeply chocolatey.  Chilling the dough allows the flavors to deepen.

Fortunately, the fact that these need to be chilled makes them a perfect make-ahead cookie.  The day before, go ahead and make up the dough, cover it tightly and refrigerate it overnight.  Then all you have to do is roll, dip in sugar and bake!

CAN YOU FREEZE CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES?

You sure can!  Actually you can freeze them two different ways.  The rolled balls of dough (that are NOT rolled in powdered sugar yet), can be frozen for several months.  Just roll the frozen ball of dough in powdered sugar and bake, adding an extra minute or two.  The baked cookies can be frozen as well, for several months.

Tips for freezing cookie dough:

• If you add all the dough balls into an airtight container to freeze, they’ll freeze together in one big clump.  To avoid that, you’ll want to par-freeze them.
• Line a baking sheet with wax paper and add the balls of dough, as many as you can fit without them touching.  Place baking sheet in the freezer for and hour or two.
• Remove baking sheet from freezer and place frozen balls of dough into an airtight container and place it back in the freezer.  Now each individual ball of dough will be separated.

PRO TIPS FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES:

• Make sure to chill the dough.  Refer to the section above on why that’s important!
• Use disposable gloves when rolling.  These cookies will turn your hands brown when you’re rolling, so either glove up, or get ready to wash your hands again 😉
• Use a cookie scoop for easier rolling.  A good cookie scoop is perfect for both sweet and savory recipes (like meatballs!), and then all you have to do is a quick roll between your hands to round out the edges.
• Use parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.  Cookies have a tendency to stick, and I always get the most evenly baked cookies when I use parchment paper.
• Chocolate crinkle cookies will look underdone in the center when you take them out of the oven.  They’ll continue cooking as you let them sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes and will harden more as they cool.  You can bake them longer, but they won’t have that fudgy middle.

OTHER GREAT HOLIDAY BAKING RECIPES:

• Peanut Butter Blossoms Cookies
• Crockpot Christmas Candy
• Gingerbread Caramel Popcorn
• Peppermint White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars
• Red Velvet Brownies
• Soft Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
• Soft Molasses Cookies
• Candied Almonds

SHOP THE RECIPE:

• Parchment Paper – perfectly sized means you don’t have to struggle with a roll of paper and try to cut it to size!
• Baking sheet – these pans are heavy duty, with no warping!
• Small Cookie Scoop – a MUST for baking cookies and making meatballs!

Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Moist and fudgy on the inside, like a brownie, these chocolate crinkle cookies are sweet, with a crackly cookie crust!

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 12 mins

Total Time: 27 mins

Servings: 30 - 36 cookies

Calories: 136

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, divided
• 2 Tbsp softened butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

• Melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips, stirring until smooth.  I normally use the microwave, but you can use whichever method you prefer.  Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add butter and granulated sugar and beat with a hand mixer until crumbly, 1-2 minutes.  Add in egg whites and vanilla extract, beating to mix.  Add in melted chocolate and mix well.
• In another mixing bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stirring to combine.
• Add half of flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, mixing to combine, then add in half of the water.  Mix, then repeat with remaining flour mixture and water.
• Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or more.
• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and add powdered sugar to a shallow bowl; set aside.  Scoop and roll dough into balls, about 1.5 Tbsp each, then roll balls in powdered sugar.
• Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet and bake 11-13 minutes.  Let cookies sit on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes after baking, then transfer carefully to a wire rack to cool.
• Cookies will last about 1 week (covered in an airtight container).

Notes

Recipes makes 30-36 small cookies.  

Chilling time is not included in prep time of this recipe, as that time will vary from individual to individual.

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