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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies: The Ultimate Guide to Baking Perfection


  • Total Time: 152 minutes
  • Yield: 24 cookies 1x

Description

Soft, chewy, and intensely chocolatey cookies with a beautiful crinkled powdered sugar coating. Perfect for the holidays or any time you crave a decadent treat!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup powdered sugar, for coating

Instructions

  1. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
  2. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing on low speed until just combined after each addition. Do not overmix.
  5. Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
  6. Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Prepare Powdered Sugar: Place the powdered sugar in a shallow bowl.
  8. Scoop and Roll: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough. Roll each portion of dough into a ball.
  9. Coat in Powdered Sugar: Roll each ball of dough in the powdered sugar, making sure it’s completely coated.
  10. Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  11. Bake: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft.
  12. Cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. Serve: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • Don’t skip the chilling time! This is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much and for developing the flavors.
  • Use good quality cocoa powder. The flavor of the cocoa powder will really shine through in these cookies, so use the best you can find.
  • Don’t overbake the cookies. They should be slightly soft in the center when you take them out of the oven.
  • Roll the dough balls generously in powdered sugar. This is what creates the signature crinkled effect.
  • For a deeper chocolate flavor, you can add a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients.
  • If your dough is too sticky to handle, try chilling it for a longer period of time. You can also lightly flour your hands before rolling the dough into balls.
  • Experiment with different flavors! You can add a pinch of cinnamon, a dash of peppermint extract, or even some chopped nuts to the dough.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes