These Holiday Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are the perfect holiday cookie and are a must on your holiday dessert tray.
If you are a serious chocolate lover and are still looking for cookie recipes for the holidays, I highly recommend these Holiday Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. They are delicious, easy to make, look pretty, and you probably have all the ingredients already on hand.
How to make chocolate crinkle cookies
The important thing to take into consideration when making these cookies is that they require some chilling time before you can roll them into balls and bake them. If you are a planner, then you’re one step ahead, prepare the batter the night before, refrigerate and roll and bake the next day. If you’re more of a what shall I bake today person, no worries you can still make these. All I did was cover the batter with cling film and put it in the freezer for about an hour and a half. The batter was chilled enough to roll and the cookies baked up beautifully with perfectly shaped domes and a beautiful dark and white crackly look.
These cookies can be made up to three months ahead of time and frozen to enjoy later on. Layer the cookies in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers of cookies and freeze. I adapted this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated, you can find the original recipe here. I don’t know about you, but I think a chocolate crinkle cookie is a must on my holiday cookie tray. Enjoy!
Holiday Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps. instant espresso powder optional
- 2 tsps. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1.5 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine the all purpose-flour, espresso powder (if using), baking power, baking soda and salt. Stir with a whisk and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the cocoa powder, brown sugar and vegetable oil, blend until well combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract and blend.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and mix until well blended, being careful not to to overmix the batter.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for 4 hours or more. If pressed for time, place covered bowl in the freezer and freeze for approximately an hour and a half.
When ready to roll the cookies, place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop a ball of dough out, roll it in your hands and then roll the ball into the granulated sugar before rolling it a second time in powdered sugar.
Place balls of cookie dough about two inches apart on the baking sheet and repeat process until the sheet is full.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies will look uncooked between the cracks but that is ok, they will set as they cool on the baking sheet. Please see note for explanation on determining time needed for baking cookies.
Recipe Notes
1. If dough sticks to your hands when rolling, just powder your hands with the icing sugar, the dough shouldn't stick anymore.
2. If dough is still too sticky then you should return it to the freezer or fridge for additional chilling time.
3. At 10 minutes you should have cookies that are still very fudgy inside. If you prefer them more done, leave them in the oven for an extra minute. I found that the cookies I left in for 12 minutes kept a perfectly domed shaped. Those at 10 min sunk in just slightly in the middle.
I recommend baking a few on a tray to see how you like them and what the perfect time is for you before baking the entire batch of cookies.
They look so good! I will try to make this for the holiday. How do you store these cookies and for how long? Thank you!
Thanks! These are a favourite during the holidays and I’ve made them ahead of time before and froze them for a good 3 weeks before serving them. Make sure you store them in the freezer in an airtight container. Thaw and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!
I made these for Christmas and added peppermint extract…seriously the Best. Cookie. Ever. Thanks so much!!
That’s wonderful, I also made these cookies again this year. I love your idea of adding peppermint extract, I’ll have to try it next year!
These look simply delicious and so beautifully photographed! i saw you on FB and just had to come say hi to a fellow Canadian. Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much 🙂 Merry Christmas to you Robyn!
These just scream, the holidays! And I can never pass up a cookie that combines chocolate and espresso!
I agree, chocolate and espresso are a match made in heaven!
These are such fun cookies, so perfect for this time of year. Thanks, Fida!
Thanks Louise, I think powdered sugar cookies are a must for the holiday season!
Yum! What a nice chocolaty holiday treat! 🙂
Thanks Nancy, they’re delicious, even my kids think so!
yumm love the espresso! very tasty and beautiful!
Thank you Lynz. I think espresso does such a great job of enhancing the flavour of chocolate.
I can imagine, that would be so good!
They look great, do you use light or dark brown sugar?
Thanks! I used light brown sugar. I’ll add that to the recipe.
Thank you!!
Your welcome!