Chocolate Crackle Cookies (Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies)
These Easy Chocolate Crackle Cookies (also called Chocolate Crinkle Cookies) are pretty and delicious! They’re soft and chewy with rich chocolate flavor on the inside plus crispy edges with the dusting of powdered sugar on the outside. These are perfect for holiday baking, cookie exchanges or a simple after-school snack.
Originally posted January 2013, updated September 2026
Chocolate Crackle Cookies
These Chocolate Crackle Cookies are soft, fudgy, and rolled in a thick powdered sugar coating that cracks open into that pretty snowy pattern while they bake.
They’re perfect for the holiday season, a cookie exchange, a Christmas cookie tray, or any random Tuesday when you want a really good chocolate cookie.
Easy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Sometimes these cookies are called Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. And after looking at a few dozen recipes, I’m pretty sure that’s just a different name for the same cookies. Rich chocolate flavor, a brownie-like center, and a bakery-pretty finish with almost no effort… no matter what you call them!!
The brownie-like cookie comes together in about ten minutes with a spoon and a bowl. The only thing this recipe asks of you is patience, because the dough does need to chill overnight.
But they’re so worth planning ahead for. Mix the dough after supper, stick it in the fridge, and bake the next day. Then enjoy chewy chocolate crinkle cookies with a tall glass of milk!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
They look fancy, but they’re not. That crackled top happens all by itself. The powdered sugar coating stays put on the outside of the cookie while the dough puffs and spreads underneath, and the sugar splits open into those pretty cracks. You don’t do anything special to make it happen!
It’s a true pantry recipe. You likely already have all of the ingredients in your pantry for this Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe.
They’re made for the holiday season. These are wonderful Christmas cookies, but they also travel well, freeze beautifully, and hold up on a cookie tray for days. Nobody will ever turn down a fudgy chocolate crinkle cookie.
Tools Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium bowl or small bowl for the dry ingredients
- Whisk and/or hand mixer.
- Plastic wrap
- Shallow bowl or plate for the powdered sugar
- Cookie scoop
- Large baking sheet or cookie sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Chocolate Crinkle Cookie recipe.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – regular or Dutch process both work. Dutch process will give you a darker cookie with a slightly richer flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Powdered sugar
Find the full recipe with ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Simple steps, and most of the time is hands-off. Let’s make the best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies…
- In a large bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil until it comes together into a thick, dark paste. It’ll look a little grainy and that’s exactly right.
- Mix well after each egg before you add the next one. Stir in the vanilla extract here too. The batter will loosen up and turn glossy.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt so the leavening gets evenly distributed.
- Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture a little at a time, mixing as you add. On a stand mixer or electric mixer, keep it on low speed so you don’t end up wearing your flour. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to catch any dry pockets hiding down there.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. Don’t skip this… soft dough spreads into flat cookies, and chilled dough gives you thick, fudgy ones.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Place confectioners’ sugar in a shallow bowl or a plate.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion the chocolate crinkle cookie dough, then drop each one straight into the powdered sugar. Roll the cookie dough balls around until they’re completely coated. Be generous here, because a thin coating tends to disappear into the cookie as it bakes.
- Place the coated 1-inch balls onto the prepared baking sheets, 2 to 3 inches apart. They spread a good bit.
- The tops will crack and the edges will be set while the centers still look a tiny bit soft. That’s when you want them out.
- Let the baked cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. They firm up as they cool, so moving them too soon is how they fall apart.
Pro Tips for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Here are some tips so this classic chocolate crinkle cookies recipe comes out perfect!
- Let the dough chill the full time. Six hours is the minimum, overnight is better, and two days in the fridge is fine too.
- Roll the dough balls in a little granulated sugar first, then the powdered sugar. That first layer keeps the white coating from melting into the cookie and gives you sharper cracks.
- Use a cookie scoop to shape dough instead of eyeballing it so your cookies bake evenly and come out the same size.
- Work with cold dough. Pull half the dough out, scoop and roll that batch, and leave the rest in the fridge until you need it.
- Pile on more powdered sugar than feels reasonable. A thick coating is what makes these look like classic chocolate crinkle cookies instead of plain chocolate cookies.
- Pull them from the oven while the centers still look soft. They keep baking on the hot pan for those first few minutes.
Variations
- Add chocolate chips. Stir a cup of semi sweet or dark chocolate chips into the dough for melty pockets throughout.
- Espresso powder. A teaspoon or two deepens the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee at all.
- Brown sugar swap. Replace about half a cup of the white sugar with dark brown sugar for a richer flavor and a chewier cookie.
- Peanut butter chips. Swap the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips. My people love this version.
- Mint. Add a half teaspoon of peppermint extract for a Christmas cookie tray twist.
Serving Suggestions
These are made for a cookie tray, so put them next to peanut butter blossoms, chocolate chip cookies, and lemon crinkle cookies for a spread with some color variety. They’re also lovely with a glass of cold milk, a cup of hot cocoa, or coffee if that’s your thing.
For a dessert plate, serve them alongside fudgy brownies and a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Nobody has ever complained about that combination at my house.
Storage Instructions
Room temperature: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Lay them in a single layer with parchment paper between layers so the powdered sugar coating stays pretty.
Freezer: Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature, and dust with a little bit of fresh powdered sugar before serving.
Freezing the dough: Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a lined baking sheet until firm, then transfer to freezer bags. Roll in powdered sugar and bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the cook time.
FAQ
Why are my cookies flat? The dough was too warm. Make sure it chills the full 6 to 8 hours, and keep the extra dough in the fridge while the first pan bakes.
Can I skip the chill time? No. That chill is doing real work here, and skipping it gives you flat cookies with a thin, faded coating.
What’s the difference between crackle cookies and crinkle cookies? Nothing! Chocolate crackle cookies and chocolate crinkles are the same cookie, just different names depending on where you grew up.
Can I use melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder? Not in this recipe. The cocoa powder is part of the dry ingredients and the ratios are built around it, so melted chocolate from a microwave-safe bowl would throw off the whole thing.
Do I need a mixer? Nope. A spoon and a large bowl work great. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer on low to medium speed when you want to save your arm.
Can I make a double batch? Absolutely. The recipe doubles without any adjustments, which makes it a good one for a cookie exchange. Just keep any extra dough you’re not actively working with in the fridge.
Why did my powdered sugar disappear? The coating was too thin, or the dough was warm when you rolled it. Cold dough and a heavy hand with the sugar will fix it next time.
Chocolate Christmas Cookies
These chocolate crackle cookies are one of those recipes that makes you look like you really know what you’re doing, and only you have to know how simple they were. Make the dough tonight, bake them tomorrow, and let the oven do the pretty part.
Then add them to your holiday spread and impress all of your friends and family!
Make them your own with chocolate chips, a little espresso powder, or whatever sounds good to you. That’s the fun of a simple base recipe!
Easy Chocolate Crackle Cookies
Description
Soft, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookies rolled in a thick powdered sugar coating that cracks as they bake. An easy recipe made with pantry staples, perfect for Christmas cookie trays and cookie exchanges.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each one. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing as you add.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough overnight, at least 6 to 8 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the powdered sugar to a shallow dish or plate.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out the dough, then drop it into the powdered sugar. Roll the dough around until fully coated.
- Place onto the parchment lined sheet, 2 to 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 19.6 g
- Sodium: 110.6 mg
- Fat: 5.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.1 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
where does the vanilla come in???
These were so good!! I did this to “use up” a can of Nesquick but they’re so good and easy I would be tempted to buy Nesquick just to make these!
You absolutely need to warn people that the combo of Nesquick and butter, which I did first in the mixer- is so freaking good on its own that you may want to abort cookie baking! So now I’ve discovered the MADNESS of (essentially) Nesquick buttercream frosting thanks to this recipe!!
Feedback is I made them with only nesquick (no plain sugar) and unprocessed cacao rather than cocoa and they are still plenty sweet. They seemed dry at first but I put them in a container and they are now soft and extremely good. Thanks for discovering this!!
Amazing recipe! My family ate them all up for Thanksgiving! Thanks so much!