Chocolate Sugar Crinkle Cookies

In this post I’m going to share a simple but delicious cookie recipe that’s sure to be a big hit with kids and adults alike! These luscious chocolate sugar crinkle cookies are brownie-like in texture and loaded with chocolatey flavor!

A huge shout-out to my friend Carol Hutchins for sharing this recipe with me. I knew the moment I saw these that I would love them. 

Chocolate or Vanilla

I recently put a post up on Facebook asking friends: Chocolate or Vanilla? The responses were about what I was expecting: 2/3 said chocolate and 1/3 said vanilla.

Honestly? I’ve always been Team Vanilla. But I do love a great brownie and this cookie recipe reminded me of a soft brownie, covered in powdered sugar. 

I was looking for something to take to my small group (a group of five ladies) and knew (based on my poll on Facebook) that at least three of the five would probably love these. Ha. Science. 

Brownie-Like Cookies

So, I whipped up a batch. And I”ll be honest: The original recipe calls for 3 hours of refrigerator time for the dough. I didn’t have that time. I had exactly half an hour. (Risky, I know.) 

So, I did what I always do in situations like these: I took a shortcut. I put my cookie dough in the freezer for half an hour instead of the fridge. 

More about that later. 

For now, let’s look at what you’ll need to make these delicious cookies! 

Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need. These are simple ingredients you probably have in your pantry or fridge. And, unlike most of my other cookie recipes, you won’t have to use that expensive butter this time around. This recipe calls for vegetable oil, instead. 

• ganulated sugar
• unsweetened cocoa powder (dutch-processed cocoa powder)
• vegetable oil
• salt
• whole eggs
• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• powdered sugar

(That’s how you know it’s a brownie recipe instead of a cookie recipe, y’all! Most cookies call for baking soda. Most brownies and cakes call for baking powder.)

How to Make these Delicious Chocolate Sugar Crinkle Cookies

This is a super simple recipe. You won’t need a stand mixer (or even a hand mixer, to be honest). I mixed mine up in an ordinary mixing bowl, starting with a whisk and then moving to a spoon. 

In a large bowl place sugar, cocoa powder, salt, oil, and eggs.

(Note: ordinarily I bake with room temperature eggs, but since this dough needs to be really cold, you’ll want to start with refrigerated eggs.)

Whisk together until creamy and smooth. 

Add the flour and baking powder.

Mix well with a spoon until thick and luscious. 

Cover and place in refrigerator (for 2 – 3 hours) or freezer (for 30 minutes to an hour). 

Remove from fridge or freezer and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Prepare a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. 

Place 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a small bowl and set aside. 

This recipe calls for a small scoop (one size down from a traditional cookie scoop). If you don’t have that one you can use a regular cookie scoop or even a spoon. You’re aiming for 1-inch balls of dough.

Scoop dough into balls.

Once you’ve got them all scooped, roll them between your palms (damp hands help with this process) and roll in the powdered sugar. I should warn you that this is a sticky dough so you might end up with chocolate-covered palms!

Place sugared dough balls onto the cookie sheets. 

Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until crevices form in the cookies. (They’re gorgeous, aren’t they?) I checked mine at ten minutes then left them for an extra minute.

Remove and place on a wire rack to cool. 

Serve and enjoy!

After ten minutes place cookies directly onto the cooling rack to continue coming to room temperature.

These cookies are rich and delicious and pair well with a big glass of milk or coffee. They’re also yummy with tea. 

Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Cookies can be frozen but here’s a better idea: freeze the dough balls (before rolling in sugar) instead. That way you can pull them from the freezer, roll in powdered sugar, and bake fresh. They should stay fresh 2 – 3 days.

What to Expect from these Cookies

Chocolate lovers are going to flip over these fudgy chocolate cookies!

These are a cross between a brownie and a cookie. They’re delicious and have a lovely texture. 

I loved the confectioner’s sugar on the outside. It pairs perfectly with the dark chocolate. 

I thought these were delicious warm but the original poster said they’re even better the day after (or even another day after that). They get better with age. And the outside of the cookie looks just as good a day later. (Yum!)

Not that any of these lasted that long! As I said, I took them to my small group and they were shared between the ladies, who even took a few home with them. 

The cookies got rave reviews from all in attendance, so (even after my poll) I would say that chocolate is still a favorite with most folks. (And even though I favor vanilla, I thought these were the bee’s knees!) 

Variations on this Easy Cookie Recipe

I’m already thinking of ways I could dress up these yummy powdered sugar cookies for my next event! (Cookie variations are so much fun!)

I might add: 

Coffee: Hear me out. I would add instant coffee to the dough. Probably a teaspoon of the granules melted in a teaspoon of water. Coffee brings out the flavor of coffee and only makes things better! Don’t believe me? Try my Espresso cupcakes or my Espresso muffins. My ultimate chocolate cake also has coffee in it! Coffee-flavored cookies are amazing!

Chocolate Chips: I think mini chocolate chips would be delicious in these cookies. I would go with the little ones since these cookies are scooped with a tiny scoop. Mini Chocolate Chips in Cookies? Yes, please!

Dehydrated marshmallow cookies: Tiny dehydrated marshmallows, which I used in my hot cocoa fudge would pair beautifully with this recipe. You could add half a cup. And if you really wanted to make these into hot cocoa cookies, add a packet or two of instant hot cocoa mix to the batter before refrigerating. Yum! 

Red Velvet: I plan to turn these into Red Velvet cookies later today, y’all! I’ll cut back on the cocoa (to 1/3 cup), add a teaspoon of vinegar (a key ingredient in red velvet), and add red coloring gel. Delicious!

Vanilla extract: I might add a teaspoon of extract next time. (I always use vanilla in my chocolate recipes.)

Cookie Dough Freezing Tips

• Scoop dough into balls. Do NOT add powdered sugar to cookie balls.
• Place balls side-by-side on a platter and cover with plastic wrap.
• Flash freeze for thirty minutes.
• Remove and place in freezer bags (like Ziploc). Don’t overfill.
• Place back in freezer.
• They should stay good up to two months.
• To bake: remove, roll in powdered sugar, and place on prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake low and slow: 325 for 12 – 13 minutes to ensure they are done on the inside.
• Alternatively: You can allow them to thaw before rolling in sugar or baking.

Questions People are Asking:

Do I have to use vegetable oil?

No. You can use canola oil or other neutral oils. I wouldn’t suggest using, say, olive oil because it has such a strong, pungent flavor and odor. It won’t pair well with the chocolate.

Why did my cookies turn out flat?

Chances are pretty good they’re not cold enough. After you scoop them, you can always place the tray into the fridge for ten minutes before popping them into the oven to ensure you don’t end up with flat cookies next time.

Why did my powdered sugar dissolve before I got them into the oven?

This happened to me after I scooped my first batch. I suspect the dough wasn’t quite cold enough. I just re-rolled them in powdered sugar before baking.

Are these also known as crater cookies?

Some people call them that because of the cracks in the powdered sugar. (They look like little craters, don’t they?)

Can I roll my cookies in granulated sugar if I don’t have confectioners sugar?

You can, but they won’t look the same without that lovely powdered sugar coating. The beautiful contrast of colors will be lost. They will taste yummy, though!

Is this chocolate crinkle cookie recipe safe to eat raw?

Because it contains raw eggs and raw flour, that would be a no. However, you can turn any cookie dough into edible dough by heat-treating the flour and skipping the eggs. (Only do this if you plan to eat the dough, not actually bake them as cookies.) I covered the ins and outs of this in my Edible Cookie Dough recipe. Scoop into cookie dough balls and freeze to eat as a yummy snack.

Does the chocolate flavor get lost in the powdered sugar?

Nope! It comes shining through, I promise!

Other Chocolate Cookies from Out of the Box Baking

• German Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
• Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies
• Easy Hot Chocolate Cookies
• No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies:
• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies 
• Stuffed Brownie Cookies

---

 That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this delicious chocolate cookie recipe. 

If you make these soft chocolate cookies and love them, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you’re at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

---

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday 

Weekend Potluck

The Lazy Gastronome

Busy Monday 

Learn more about doctored cake mixes, the theme of this blog. 

For the master list of all doctored cake mix recipes on this site, visit Doctored Cake Mix Recipes, Master List. 

---

About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.