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Rich, fudgy, and perfectly crackled, these chocolate crinkle cookies are a holiday classic! Made with Dutch process cocoa and unsweetened chocolate, each cookie is super chocolatey with a brownie-like center. Best of all, there’s no mixer or chill time required, so you can make and enjoy these cookies in just under an hour! Recipe yields 24 cookies.

Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
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This crinkle cookie recipe is for the chocolate lover! The rich dark chocolate cookies are first rolled in granulated sugar and then generously coated in powdered sugar to create the signature snowy, crackled appearance.

The chocolate dough is easy to make in a few bowls with a whisk and spatula (no need to bring out the mixer!) and stays warm throughout the mixing process, similar to my double chocolate chip cookies and brownie cookie recipe.

These are the ideal cookie to make for anyone who loves chocolate (or fudgy brownies), and simply perfect with a glass of milk!

Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Key Ingredients

  • Flour – Use all-purpose flour.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – I use Dutch process cocoa in all cocoa powder desserts for intense chocolate flavor. The extra cocoa butter makes these cookies incredibly rich and fudgy.
  • Baking powder and baking soda – Gives the cookies a lift and makes the tops more crinkly than using just baking soda.
  • Salt – To balance the flavor.
  • Unsweetened chocolate – Be sure to use unsweetened chocolate (I like Ghirardelli baking bars) or the cookies will be too sweet. A serrated knife works well to chop the chocolate.
  • Butter – Many chocolate crinkle cookie recipes call for vegetable oil. I use unsalted butter and melt the butter with the chocolate until smooth. You can do this in a microwave or in a double boiler.
  • Sugars – The cookie dough is sweetened with granulated sugar and light brown sugar. You’ll also roll the scooped cookie dough in granulated sugar before coating in powdered sugar.
  • Eggs – You’ll need two large eggs, at room temperature.
  • Powdered sugar – Coat the chocolate cookie dough balls generously in powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) before baking.

Love crinkle cookies? You may also like red velvet crinkle cookies or chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies!

Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Combine dry ingredients: Whisk flour, Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.

Melt chocolate: Combine unsweetened chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in bursts, stirring until melted and smooth (about 90 seconds total).

Make dough: In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, brown sugar, and eggs for 1 minute until smooth and ribbony.

Add warm chocolate mixture and whisk for 30 seconds until smooth.

Fold in dry ingredients just until incorporated and no flour streaks remain – the mixture will resemble cocoa brownie batter. Let dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Scoop and roll cookies: Spray a medium (1 1/2-inch) cookie scoop with nonstick spray and scoop balls of dough (approximately 30 grams each). Roll first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar to coat. Place two inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake cookies at 325°F for 16 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until cookies are puffed and cracked, with edges set. Tap pans once to slightly flatten cookies. Let cool for 15 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Perfect Crinkle Cookies

The secret to the perfect crackle is rolling the cookie dough first in granulated sugar, then coating generously with powdered sugar. This process helps the cookies crackle as they bake, and keeps the powdered sugar coating in place.

Pro tip: It’s best to bake crinkle cookies on dry days. The powdered sugar coating will absorb moisture from any humidity in the air, causing it to melt slightly into the cookies.

Make Ahead Tips

To make the chocolate dough in advance, roll into balls (without the sugar coating) and freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour. Transfer the cookie dough balls to an airtight container in the freezer (or tightly seal in freezer bags) for up to 2 months.

Just before baking, roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar and coat generously in powered sugar. Bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.

Tips to Freeze

Allow baked cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Freeze flat on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer (layer cookies between pieces of parchment paper) for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw the cookies at room temperature.

I don’t recommend freezing the cookies for longer than a month – the sugar coating tends to become somewhat dull in color and less crisp.

Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

More favorite chocolate Christmas cookies:

Did you try this Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe? Let me know by leaving a comment and rating below!

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Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Fudgy Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (No Chill)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Laura Kasavan
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 16 minutes
  • Total Time: 56 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Rich, fudgy, and perfectly crackled, these chocolate crinkle cookies are a holiday classic! Made with Dutch process cocoa and unsweetened chocolate, each cookie is super chocolatey with a brownie-like center. No mixer or chill time required! Recipe yields 24 cookies.


Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
  • 6 Tbsp (36 g) Dutch process unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
  • 4 oz (114 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 6 Tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs (100 g), at room temperature

For Rolling

  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Make cookies: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine chopped chocolate and cubed butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 15 second intervals until melted and smooth (about 90 seconds total).
  3. Whisk together sugar, brown sugar, and eggs in a large bowl for 1 minute until combined and doubled in volume. Add warm chocolate mixture and whisk for 30 seconds until smooth. Fold in flour mixture just until incorporated and no flour streaks remain (the mixture will resemble cocoa brownie batter). Let dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.
  4. Roll cookies: Place granulated sugar and powdered sugar in separate shallow bowls. Use a cookie scoop coated with nonstick spray to scoop 1 1/2-inch balls of dough (approximately 30 grams each). Drop the balls of dough in granulated sugar and roll to coat, then coat generously in powdered sugar. Place two inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
  5. Bake cookies for 16 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until puffed and cracked, with edges set. Tap pans once to flatten baked cookies slightly. Let cookies cool for 15 minutes on baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Melt chocolate: If you don’t have a microwave, melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

Larger batch: I don’t recommend doubling this recipe since the dough needs to stay warm throughout the mixing and shaping process. Instead, make one batch of cookies at a time.

Make ahead: Scoop the chocolate dough into balls (without the sugar coating) and freeze on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just before baking, roll the cookie dough in granulated sugar, coat generously in powered sugar, and bake as directed, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.

Meet Laura

Hi, I'm Laura and I'm so happy you're here! Welcome to Tutti Dolci Baking Recipes, a baking blog celebrating all things sweet! I share approachable baking recipes and elevated classic desserts for every home baker. My goal is to inspire you to bake from scratch with kitchen-tested recipes you can count on.

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19 Comments

    1. Hi Tammie, I use one unsweetened chocolate baking bar in these cookies. Chocolate chips don’t melt as well as a baking bar because of the added stabilizers. I also don’t recommend semisweet chocolate because it will make the cookies too sweet.

      1. Ok thanks so much for the reply! I almost bought a bar at the store the other day and then didn’t. Regretting it now!

  1. Baked two batches of these crinkle cookies over the weekend and everyone loved them at our holiday party. Huge hit!

  2. I’ve tried chocolate crinkle cookies in the past that used oil and cocoa powder, and never liked the texture or flavor (not chocolatey enough!). These are spot on – using butter, baking chocolate, and Dutch cocoa makes all the difference!

  3. My cookies crackled perfectly and I love how fudgy they are. The dark chocolate flavor is delicious. Going to try the red velvet crinkles next!