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Autumn & Winter · Biscuits · Spring & Summer

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Recipe by Nigel Clease Kitchen-tested
Autumn & Winter 3 min read

Rich, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookies with brownie-like centres and snowy cracked tops, made easily in one bowl.

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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
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The recipe, step by step

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These chocolate crinkle cookies are wonderfully fudgy in the centre, with crisp edges and a generous snowy coating that cracks as they bake. The dough comes together in one bowl, and a short rest makes it easier to shape while helping the cookies keep their distinctive crinkled finish.

Contents

Recipe Highlights

  • Easy one-bowl chocolate cookie dough.
  • Rich, brownie-like centres with crisp edges.
  • A double sugar coating creates the snowy crinkle finish.
  • Makes 18–20 cookies.
  • The tested recipe includes fine sea salt to balance the sweetness and bring out the chocolate flavour.

Ingredients

  • Neutral-tasting oil – keeps the dough soft without adding a strong flavour.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – gives the cookies their deep chocolate character.
  • Caster sugar – adds sweetness and structure.
  • Eggs – help bind and enrich the dough.
  • Plain flour – provides the structure.
  • Fine sea salt – balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate flavour.
  • Baking powder – gives a little lift.
  • Granulated sugar and icing sugar – used for the crackled coating.

How to Make

Mix the oil, cocoa powder and sugar, then whisk in the eggs until the mixture thickens slightly. Fold in the sieved flour, baking powder and fine sea salt without overmixing. Chill the dough for 30 minutes or longer if convenient. Shape into balls, roll first in granulated sugar and then generously in icing sugar, and bake until the edges are set while the centres still look slightly soft.

Recipe Tips

Do not overmix. Once the flour is added, stir only until no dry patches remain so the cookies stay tender.

Expect a sticky dough. The softness is normal. Chilling makes the dough easier to scoop and roll, so resist adding extra flour.

Chill for a stronger crinkle. Resting helps the dry ingredients absorb moisture and reduces how quickly the icing sugar disappears into the surface.

Do not overbake. Remove the cookies when the edges are set but the centres still look a little underdone; they continue to firm on the tray.

Variations

Coffee and chocolate. Add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder with the oil.

Almond. Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract with the oil.

Orange and chocolate. Rub the zest of one orange into the sugar before mixing the dough.

Chocolate chips. Fold in a small handful for an extra chocolate hit.

Storage and Freezing

Room temperature. Store cooled cookies in a tin or loosely sealed container. They are at their best on the day they are baked and soften gradually over time.

Freeze baked cookies. Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

Freeze the dough. Freeze shaped, uncoated dough balls until solid, then transfer to an airtight container for up to 3 months. Roll in both sugars before baking from frozen, following the recipe card and watching carefully near the end.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my icing sugar disappear? The dough may have been too warm or the coating too light. Chilling the dough and rolling first in granulated sugar helps the icing sugar stay visible.

Can I skip chilling the dough? Yes, but the dough will be softer to handle and the crinkle effect may be less pronounced.

How do I keep the centres fudgy? Take the cookies out when the edges are set but the centres still look slightly soft.

Nutrition

Serving: one chocolate crinkle cookie

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the ingredients and portion size used.

Tools You’ll Need

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Electric hand mixer or whisk
  • Fine sieve
  • 35 mm or 1 tablespoon cookie scoop
  • Baking tray
  • Baking parchment or silicone mat
  • Wire cooling rack

Recipe Card

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Preparation:5 minutes
Baking:9 minutes
Resting:30 minutes
Total:44 minutes
Servings: 18
These homemade chocolate crinkle cookies have a rich, fudgy centre like brownies. An easy one-bowl recipe that's a delicious crowd pleaser and perfect all year round.
Print Pin

INGREDIENTS LIST
 

  • 60 ml neutral-tasting oil (canola, vegetable, sunflower oil etc..)
  • 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder (5 tbsp)
  • 180 g caster sugar
  • 2 medium eggs (100g without the shells)
  • 170 g plain flour (all-purpose) (BL55)
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ tsp baking powder

For rolling:

  • 35 g granulated sugar
  • 35 g icing sugar (US powdered sugar)

Preparation
 

  • Cookie dough: In a large bowl, mix together the oil, cocoa powder and sugar.
  • Add the eggs and whisk with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly.
  • Add the sieved flour, baking powder and salt and stir until combined, but be careful not to overmix it.
  • Resting the dough: (optional) Chill the dough for 30 minutes or longer, even overnight if possible. (see notes)
  • Preheat the oven 180°C / 160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4
  • Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat and set it aside.
  • Shaping: Pour 35g of granulated sugar into one bowl and 35g of icing sugar into another bowl. Scoop the dough into 18-20 balls, I use a 35mm/1 tbsp cookie scoop. Roll each cookie ball lightly in granulated sugar, then generously in the icing sugar. (Rolling the cookie in granulated sugar helps to prevent the icing sugar from being absorbed into the dough, giving us that lovely crinkle effect.)
  • Place the coated cookie balls equally on the prepared baking trays. I use a silicone mat (30 x 40cm) on my baking tray and this allows me to bake a maximum of 12 cookies at a time. I also always bake the trays separately to avoid creating steam during the baking.
  • Baking: Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are set. (See notes)
  • Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet to continue setting, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Notes & Tips

Resting: If you really can’t wait, you do not have to chill the dough. However, you will get better results if you do. To get the best results, chilling the dough will help develop the flavour, texture, and most importantly, it will stop the icing sugar from being absorbed into the cookies as they bake and losing the crinkle effect.  In addition, chilling the dough makes the scooping and rolling process much easier.  
Baking: Just like when baking brownies, you need to have good control over the baking time and your oven. Try to take the cookies out of the oven just before they look fully baked; the residual heat left will set the centres. If they overbake, they will be very dry.

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