These Small Batch Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are chewy, fudgy, and filled with double chocolate. Along with the molasses crinkle cookies, these crinkle cookies are a must for your Christmas baking and to include in a festive cookie swap!
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Small Batch Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Is it just me, or when I see the chocolate crinkle cookie, I immediately think Christmas cookie? These cookies always seem to grace the cookie box I receive from family along with some variety of chocolate peppermint thumbprint cookies or pecan snowball cookies.
The fudgy cookie gets its name from the crinkled texture – a phenomenon that happens when the sugar in the cookie caramelizes before the rest of the cookie bakes. Thus, crinkles the cookie. Additionally, the generous roll of properly chilled cookie dough through powdered sugar will contribute to the mesmerizing crinkle.
What Makes These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies The Best?
Along with the lemon crinkle small batch cookies, I highly recommend this small batch chocolate crinkle cookie recipe as part of your Christmas cookie repertoire. And while I will never be one to tout a recipe as the best, it is hard to top a cookie that is:
- Double chocolate – We use cocoa powder and chocolate chips in this recipe.
- Rich and fudgy – For the reasons above. There is a lot of chocolate in these cookies.
- Perfectly chewy – I’m a sucker for a soft and chewy cookie. And I have the flourless chocolate cookies to thank for that!
- Easy to make – Yes, you do need to chill the dough. But the cookies are worth it.
- They stay soft – Which makes the cookies great for shipping and including in a cookie exchange! Pair these with the sparkle sugar cookie blossoms and you may be even more popular than Santa!
- They’re not sugar cookies – I love my gluten free sugar cookies, but sometimes you want some chocolate at Christmas too!
Ingredient Notes
- Granulated Sugar – Regular white granulated sugar or organic cane sugar works great.
- Dark Brown Sugar – I like to use dark brown sugar to keep the cookies soft and moist, plus it adds a little more flavor.
- Canola Oil – I use oil instead of butter in this recipe because it keeps the cookies soft and chewy. Use a neutral oil, like canola, coconut oil, or sunflower oil.
- Egg – The egg works as a binder in the cookies and adds texture.
- Vanilla – The vanilla adds a lovely layer of flavor to the chocolate crinkle cookie.
- All-Purpose Flour – If you need a gluten free version, check out my gluten free chocolate crinkles!
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I use Dutch process cocoa because it has a bold cocoa flavor and I find it isn’t as acidic as natural cocoa powder.
- Baking Powder – This will give the cookies lift and texture.
- Salt – Salt is wonderful to balance and enhance the flavor in the fudgy cookies.
- Chocolate Chips – I love to add chocolate chips for more flavor and texture.
- Powdered Sugar – A must to enhance the crinkle on the chocolate crinkle cookies!
Helpful Tips
- Use a cookie scoop – I use a #40 scoop for most of my small batch cookie recipes. The cookie scoop makes portioning and scooping cookies easier.
- Chill the dough – This is a must for this fudgy cookie dough. The chocolate crinkle cookie dough is sticky and is not easy to scoop and roll into balls if it isn’t chilled. And the powdered sugar will evaporate when baked if the dough isn’t chilled. I recommend at least an hour in the refrigerator.
- Lots of powdered sugar – I coat my chocolate crinkle cookies twice with the powdered sugar. Sure, some may fall off when you eat them, but the flavor is awesome with the chocolate cookie!
Recipe FAQ
You can, but I find Dutch cocoa has a stronger cocoa flavor and it isn’t as acidic as natural cocoa.
The cookie dough must chill. If the dough is too warm when you roll it through the powdered sugar, it will evaporate into the cookie dough. Also, roll the cookie dough through the powdered sugar twice.
The cookies can be covered and stored at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.
You can. You will still want to chill the dough, then scoop it into cookie balls. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, so you can roll the cookie dough balls through the powdered sugar before baking.
More Small Batch HOliday Cookies
Recipe
Small Batch Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (for rolling the cookies)
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the sugar, brown sugar, and canola oil. Mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined and smooth.1/4 cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt over the wet ingredients. Stir just until no dry streaks remain. Note – I recommend sifting the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients to make sure there are no lumps – especially in the cocoa powder.1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Stir in the chocolate chips until just combined. The dough will be sticky. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a shallow dish, add the powdered sugar.2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Using a medium cookie scoop (I use a #40), scoop even portions of the chilled cookie dough and gently roll the cookie dough into a ball with your hands (the dough may still be tacky). Roll each cookie dough ball liberally through the powdered sugar – twice. Place the cookies at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Note – the number of cookies you get will depend on the size of the cookie scoop you use.
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes – or until the edges are firm and the middle still looks 'un-done'. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
RECIPE NOTES
- Chill the Dough – The dough needs to be chilled for at least an hour. Otherwise, it will be too sticky to scoop and roll. Plus, the powdered sugar will likely evaporate into the dough.
- Servings – The number of cookies you get will depend on the size of the cookie scoop you use.
- Freezing the Cookie Dough – Chill the dough first. Scoop into cookie balls and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or a Ziploc and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before rolling through powdered sugar and baking.
- Freezing Baked Cookies – Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Either in a Tupperware, or gently placed in a Ziploc bag. Defrost the cookies at room temperature – may take 1 to 3 hours.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
I originally published this recipe in 2020 and have updated it with refreshed photos, enhanced content, and a table of contents for helpful navigation.
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
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