Easy & Delicious Chocolate Crinkle Cookies for Christmas
Chocolate crinkle cookies are a holiday classic. They have a fudgy centre, crispy edge, and are covered with powdered sugar. This recipe is simple and delicious, it’s ideal for Christmas, and it’s a tradition for many!
Let’s get started!
Understanding The Ingredients:
Cocoa Powder: The star ingredient! Cocoa powder adds a rich chocolate flavor and creates that deep, dark color. Invest in good quality cocoa powder, trust mu you will taste the difference.
Baking Powder: This helps the cookies rise, creating those signature cracks on the surface as they bake.
Butter: Adds richness and helps create the soft, tender texture of the cookies. As always, use unsalted butter to have control over how much salt is added in a recipe.
Vanilla: Yes, these are chocolate cookies, but vanilla adds warmth and enhances the chocolate flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I really need to chill the dough?
Absolutely! Chilling firms up the dough, making it easier to handle and helping the cookies hold their shape in the oven.Can I use a substitute for cocoa powder?
For the best flavor and texture, stick with cocoa powder. However, you can use Dutch-processed cocoa for a richer flavor.Why roll the cookies in powdered sugar?
The powdered sugar creates the snowy effect as the cookies bake and expand, forming those beautiful cracks.How can I store these cookies?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for longer storage, just thaw before serving.How do I know when they’re done?
The edges should look set, but the centers may still appear slightly soft, that’s how you get that fudgy texture.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
COOK TIME: 10-15 minutes | TEMPERATURE: 170°C (340°F) | SERVINGS: 12 Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dipping)
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix well to combine.
- In a separate bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one-third at a time, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap touches the dough, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Scoop out 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into balls, and coat generously in powdered sugar.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking tray, spacing them out slightly. Gently press each ball down a bit if desired.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the edges are set and the tops are cracked.
- Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For visual learners, this video will demonstrate how I made these! You’ll see how easy they are (sorry I did not show the result, this was one of my first videos to make and I wasn’t good at it at all, but I promise there are so good!)
Tips to Make the Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies:
Sift Dry Ingredients
Sifting the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder removes lumps and helps combine the dry ingredients evenly, resulting in a smoother dough.Don’t Skip the Chill Time
Chilling the dough is crucial! It prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking and helps create those beautiful crinkles.Roll Generously in Powdered Sugar
Make sure the dough balls are thoroughly coated in powdered sugar. A thick coating ensures the signature cracked appearance.Use Quality Ingredients
I mentioned this earlier, and I’ll say it again: use the best cocoa powder you know!