(nut free, vegetarian, soy free, gluten free option, dairy free option, vegan option)
These Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are for my fellow chocolate lovers – they’re possibly the most chocolate-y cookie I’ve ever made, and almost remind me of a brownie with their slightly crunchy outside and decadent and chewy inside. Not to mention, they’re about as easy to make as a cookie gets (just don’t skip the 4 hours of chilling time!). Perfect with a cold glass of milk!
Ingredients you’ll need for these Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies:
- unsalted butter, softened
- white granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- cocoa powder
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- powdered sugar
Make them vegan with vegan unsalted butter and aquafaba
Vegan unsalted butter should work well in this recipe, although I haven’t tried it so cannot vouch for the results. You should be able to use either vegan unsalted stick form butter or the kind that comes in a tub. 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a chickpea can) should work to replace the one egg in this recipe. Just keep in mind that the texture/taste of the cookies will be different with these substitutions!
Make them gluten free with gluten free all-purpose flour (+ xanthan gum)
Although it will give you a slightly different texture, using gluten free all-purpose flour will still give you delicious chewy chocolate crinkle cookies! Just make sure you use a gluten free all-purpose flour that includes xanthan gum – it will help with the texture/structure. I do not recommend using oat flour or almond flour, as they will give you drastically different results. Light buckwheat flour may work, but again keep in mind that the texture will be different than the original recipe.
Use natural cocoa powder, not Dutch process!
Natural cocoa powder is slightly acidic, and will react with the baking soda (which is basic/alkaline) to help chemically leaven the cookies. Dutch process cocoa powder is actually neutral, and will not react with the baking soda to help the cookies rise, so do not use it in this recipe! It should say whether the cocoa powder is natural or Dutch process somewhere on the label (most cocoa powders are natural, just double check before you start the recipe).
Chill the dough for 4 hours
I know it’s hard to wait, but placing the dough in the fridge for at least 4 hours is a super important step! The dough is pretty sticky and you’ll get super flat (non-chewy) cookies if you try and bake them without chilling. Chilling helps keep the butter as cold as possible before you bake the cookies, and you’ll get the best chewy texture this way! Just make sure you form the dough into a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap before placing it in the fridge to prevent it from drying out.
How long do these Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies last? Can I freeze them?
These chewy chocolate crinkle cookies last around 5 days when stored in a sealed airtight container at room temperature, but are best when fresh (they get drier as they are stored for longer)! To save some for later while preserving their freshness, place them in a sealed airtight container in the freezer on the day you bake them. You can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Other cookie recipes you may enjoy:
Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Total Time: 4.5 hours
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
THE cookie for your chocolate cravings!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder*
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, beat the butter on high speed until soft/smooth. Add in the white granulated sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, a couple minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder (sift in the cocoa powder – it has fat it in it and can get a bit lumpy!), baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture on low speed until just incorporated (there should be no visible dry patches and the colour should be dark brown). The dough will be fairly sticky!
- Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Roll dough into balls, using 2 tbsp dough per ball. Roll each ball into powdered sugar until evenly coated, taking off any excess, and place on prepared baking sheets (around 9 cookies per sheet).
- Bake for 12 minutes (You can bake both sheets at once or one at a time – if you’re baking one sheet at a time, keep the second sheet of cookies in the fridge while the first one bakes).
- Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Store in an sealed airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (they get drier as they’re stored for longer), or place in a sealed airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
*Use natural cocoa powder here (not dutch process!) because it is still slightly acidic and will react with the basic baking soda (unlike dutch process that is neutral and won’t react with the baking soda).
Make it Vegan: Use unsalted vegan butter. Use 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a chickpea can) to replace one egg. The texture/taste will differ from the original recipe!
Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour (ideally one with xanthan gum – this helps with structure).
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Chill Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
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