These classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are super fudgy and rich and look great on a holiday cookie platter! Be sure to make a double batch because these cookies won’t last long!
To continue the celebration of all things chocolate during this week’s #Choctoberfest celebration I have for you the fudgiest Chocolate Crinkle Cookie known to man. Or at least the men in my house. That is till now! Whenever I make this recipe there is sure to be a little squabble around the cookie tray about who ate the last one. These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies and my Gingersnap Cookies are always the first cookies to disappear.
These cookies look fancy because of the pretty crackled top and look amazing on a cookie tray but are very simple to make. These cookies do require a little chill time in the fridge or freezer so make sure you plan ahead and don’t try and make these a half hour before the bake sale starts. My kids are older now and actually my daughter Olivia made these cookies shown in my pictures. When my kids were younger they used to love to watch these cookies burst open and become all crinkly through the oven window.
Before getting started first check to make sure you have all the ingredients on hand. These chocolate crinkle cookies have a few surprise ingredients in them you wouldn’t normally think about putting in a cookie.
ingredients for chocolate crinkle cookies
The Usual Cookie Suspects: Brown sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt
Oil: The recipe calls for vegetable oil but really any light flavoured oil like safflower or canola work well too
Sour Cream: Adds moisture and richness to the cookie – one of the secret ingredients that make these cookies so fudgy
Flour: I use pastry flour for nearly all of my baking because it makes cookies lighter and fluffier but you can certainly use all-purpose flour for this recipe
Cocoa Powder: Be sure to use unsweetened because you will be adding sugar to the recipe. Unsweetened cocoa powder makes it easier to control the amount sugar in a recipe
Instant Espresso: Gives this recipe a hint of mocha flavour and intensifies the chocolate flavour in this cookie giving it some depth. You can leave this out if you prefer
Black Pepper: Not enough to make the cookie spicy so don’t be alarmed. Black pepper works as a flavour enhancer to create a fudgy cookie flavour
Powdered Sugar: Adds a little sweetness and gives this cookie it’s beautiful cracked and crinkly look.
Tips and vAriations
- Don’t skimp on the cooling time before baking. The cookie dough for these chocolate crinkle cookies is very sticky when first made. Chilling the dough makes it much easier to roll into balls
- Make a double batch… I said it before and I will say it again. These cookies will get gobbled up so you will want lots
- Allows the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to the cooling rack. When they first come out of the oven these cookies are quite soft still so if you move them too early you risk them falling apart or getting squished looking
- Add cayenne pepper instead of black pepper for a little added depth and spiciness that goes well with chocolate.
- Need a little more spiciness try cayenne pepper and cinnamon for a Mexican flavoured twist
- Mint lover- just add a tsp of peppermint extract at the same time you are adding the vanilla
fudgy Chocolate Crinkle cookie recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Large Bowl
- Medium bowl
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Beater
- Small Bowl
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups pastry flour
- 3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl beat brown sugar, oil, sour cream, egg and vanilla - set aside
- In a medium bowl mix flour, cocoa, espresso, baking soda, salt and pepper
- Add flour mixture to wet mixture and mix well
- Refrigerate dough for 2-3 hours or if you are in a pinch you can also place the dough in the freezer for about 1/2 hour to firm up quickly.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Place powdered sugar in small bowl
- Roll dough into 1" balls then roll generously into powdered sugar
- Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and bake for about 10 minutes or until tops of cookies feel firm to the touch Don't over bake. They are done when they look a little flatter and crinkled. Remove from oven.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes and then gently move to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
These are some of my favorite cookies! Your photos are beautiful!
Thank you Stephanie so much for the compliment!
These look amazing for the holidays! I love that your daughter helped you make them! I always have my 2 year old in the kitchen with me!
My kids have baked with me since they were little like that too. My daughter is now 15 so she made these all on her own! I just got to eat them this time.
Those crinkle cookies look amazing – love the mocha flavor in cookies. There sure are some interesting ingredients in the recipe. Pinning to try the recipe some time.
These would be such cute + tasty gifts for friends this holiday season! :]
I love crinkle cookies. Yours looks so dark and decadent.