Making thick and fudgy homemade chocolate cookies doesn’t have to be a chore with these easy chocolate crinkle cookies! It makes just over two dozen cookies, in about half an hour!
It’s been a busy week over here! I had kids home for a solid week because of the teacher strike here in Arizona, as well as finally taking the time to update my blog, which I had been putting off. But, none of that that stopped me from finding some time to get my booty in the kitchen and make these delicious chocolate crinkle cookies!
I’ve made a lot of chocolate cookies in my day, and I mean A LOT! But this is probably my most requested chocolate cookie recipe of…well, ever. I’ve been making these cookies for years and no, not just at Christmas!
Let me tell you about these cookies! They might be small, but they’re absolutely delicious! They’re loaded with fudge flavor. Really, they are; they’re almost as chocolatey as a brownie, and they’re super thick and chewy without being overly sweet. The very outside edges come out crispy (which I love), but the centers are soft and gooey. They are chocolate cookie perfection! And the very best part is that they’re so easy to make!
How to make perfect chocolate crinkle cookies:
- Whisk the flour and cocoa powder together in a small bowl before mixing up the rest of the dough. This ensures no cocoa powder lumps in your cookies.
- When you’re scooping the cookie dough, droop the cookies directly from the scoop into the powdered sugar because the dough is sticky and can’t be handled/rolled very easily. This really cuts down on the mess factor!
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack; they’re really soft when they come out of the oven and need a few minutes to ‘take shape’.
- Adding the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips just magnifies the chocolate flavor of these cookies, but they’re still to-die-for without them. If you have some on-hand, try it!
This recipe for chocolate crinkle cookies makes 26 regular size cookies or about 18 large cookies. And it can very easily be doubled too, if you need a few more than that. I’ve also frozen the dough and it worked great; just be sure to let it thaw out completely before scooping it, coating in powdered sugar, and baking it up.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp water
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt until incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, cream butter, sugar, brown sugar until smooth.
- Add egg and mix well.
- Add vanilla and water and stir.
- Add flour mixture, half at a time, mixing fully.
- Fold in chocolate chips (if using)
- Using 1.5 TBS cookie scoop, scoop dough in balls, carefully roll in powdered sugar, and place on a lined cookie sheets.
- Bake cookies for 12 minutes, rotating halfway through.
- Cool cookies on the pan for 5 minutes prior to transferring to a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container for up to a week or freeze.
Notes
Nutrition
And just in case you really love chocolate (*raises hand*), you’ll want to try these other tasty chocolate cookie varieties, dark chocolate cookies or mint chocolate cookies; as they happen to be two of my other favorites!
Chocolate crinkle cookies are just the best! I’m excited to try out this recipe with my kids, we’ve never made them together before!
I totally agree, Emily! This is a super easy one, especially with littles – hope you have fun and love the cookies! 🙂
Soft and gooey on the inside – yum – these look like the perfect chocolate cookie!
Oh they are, and the center is probably my favorite part – haha! Thank you so much, Hope!
Two dozen cookies in 30 minutes? Count me in! I’m a sucker for all things chocolate and I would devour a few of these cookies in no time!
They are definitely amazing, Iryna! Hope you love them!
These look so delicious! Such a great afternoon treat!
Thank you so much Jessica! Quick and easy, just how I like ’em! 🙂
My kids love to help me with making cookies and these will be fun to make & eat with them!
That’s the best Jillian! I love little helpers…and eating cookies together!
The three pleasures of a cookie all rolled into one, chocolate, decadent fudgy component and the crunchy crisp outside. These sound delicious, I can understand why they are a go to recipe for you.
Right, Sara! Soooo many good things all in one treat! Thank you so much!
They look Divine. A much better option that the store bought cookies which I am guilty of buying at times.
Absolutely, Sunrita! Thank you so much. I agree, I can barely stomach store-bought cookies anymore.
I love chocolate crinkle cookies! It’s my ultimate favorite chocolate cookie! Looks absolutely delicious and so chocolatey and rich!
Thank you so much Natalie! They definitely are, chocolate cookie perfection!
Lovely photos. I’ll have to try your recipe for these cookies!
Thank you so much, Jill! ?
Everyone needs a delicious crinkle cookie recipe like this one in their lives!! Delicious!
Oh I totally agree Camila, 100%! Thanks girl! #crinklecookiesarelife
Do these need to be refrigerated before putting into the oven? Can’t wait to bake them! Thank you!
Hi Cheryl! No they don’t, but the dough is pretty sticky, so I just plop them right out of the cookie scoop into the powdered sugar and give them a good roll before placing them on the cookie sheet. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, it could be messier, so I might chill the dough in that instance, but that could alter the way they bake up – so keep an eye on them! Happy baking!