This recipe makes chocolate crinkle cookies perfectly crinkly on the outside and moist and chocolatey on the inside. These decadent snow cookies are rolled in a delicious coating of icing sugar – just like this classic Italian chocolate cookie! Decadent and irresistible!
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Indulge in the irresistible rich chocolate flavor of these exquisite crinkle cookies! Their decadent, smooth, and silky texture make them impossible to turn down.
I fell in love with this intense chocolate cookie from the first bite – a distinctly different experience from my childhood favorites like mostaccioli and chocolate pizzelle.
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What are crinkle cookies?
Crinkle cookies, sometimes called snow caps, are chocolate cookies rolled in icing sugar before baking. The confectioner’s sugar coating crinkles and separates as the cookies take their shape and bake, giving the tops of the cookies their “crinkly” appearance. The result looks something like a snow-dusted mountain. These chocolate crinkles have a soft and chewy texture on the inside and a slight crunch on the outside -absolutely delicious!
More reasons to love this recipe
- This crinkle cookie recipe is a classic Christmas treat perfect for the holidays.
- The best part about crinkle cookies is that they’re super simple to make! This recipe only requires a few ingredients and some mixing.
- These chocolatey little treats are perfect for gifting friends. Wrap them up in clear bags and give them away as gifts!
- The combination of espresso and chocolate is truly sensational.
- The best part about these classic Christmas cookies is that the dough can be made ahead of time and stored in your freezer for months – making them perfect for any unexpected guests or holiday cookie exchange.
Let’s prep our recipe
Before we begin to combine the ingredients, let’s prepare the chocolate.
We’ll need 4 ounces of your favorite bittersweet unsweetened chocolate -place in a small bowl. Use the double boiler method to melt the chocolate over low heat.
When the chocolate is almost completely melted, remove it from the heat and stir to finish melting. Note: If using the microwave, heat in 30 seconds intervals.
Once melted, set aside and allow to cool down partially.
Adjust the oven rack to the middle and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside for now.
Also, the unsalted butter and egg need to be at room temperature, so plan accordingly.
Now, let’s start baking!
Step-by-step instructions
In a medium bowl, sift together ½ cup all-purpose flour (70 grams), ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
With a hand mixer, on medium-high speed, cream 4 tablespoons butter (room temperature) with ⅔ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl. A stand mixer also works.
Whisk in 1 room-temperature egg until combined. Scrape down the sides.
Add the cooled, melted chocolate and mix until well incorporated. If necessary, scrape down the sides.
On low speed, slowly add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add 1 tablespoon of milk and beat only until combined. Do not overmix.
Turn out the chocolate mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into a flat ½-inch thick square (or rectangle) and place in the freezer for at least 45 minutes.
Time to bake
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
In one bowl, place ⅓ cup of granulated sugar and ½ – ¾ cup of powdered sugar in a separate bowl.
Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 30 (¾-1 inch) small squares. (I prefer small cookies, feel free to make larger cookies).
Then use the palms of your hands to roll them into balls. This method also eliminates the need for a messy scoop!
Roll each ball first in the white sugar for a light coating and then in the powdered sugar for a thick coating.
Place on the lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Continue to roll until all of the dough is used.
Bake the cookies for approximately 9-12 minutes until they look puffy and cracked and their edges begin to set while maintaining a soft center. Do not overbake!
The cookies will look soft but will firm up as they cool. Allow to cool down before transferring the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool down completely.
Tips
- The butter and egg at room temperature make for a smoother cookie dough.
- Make sure to use good-quality chocolate for the best flavor. The better the chocolate, the richer and more delicious these cookies will be!
- For best results, ensure you chill the cookie dough in the freezer for at least 45 minutes. This makes it easier to roll out the cookies, but you can also expect a deliciously fudgy cookie that won’t spread out too much during baking.
- Don’t overbake the cookies or they will be dry and lose that brownie-like texture.
FAQ
This magical ingredient provides such an intense coffee flavor to these cookies. It is readily available online and sold in granules or in powder form.
To achieve a deliciously soft and chewy center like fudgy brownies, be sure to underbake your cookies! When the newly formed cracks start to glisten, they are done! For a crispier cookie, bake them just slightly longer, an extra minute or so.
In my December 2020 issue of Cook’s Illustrated, an innovative technique was recommended to preserve that pristine white icing sugar on the cookies – rolling the cookie dough balls lightly in granulated sugar before dipping them into icing sugar. I tested this technique and made it my go-to method since it prevents the powdered sugar coating from becoming a lackluster, off-white hue after exposure to heat.
You can use a scooper to portion the cookie balls. But I find that this is such a sticky dough to work with! My method of flattening the dough and then cutting it into small squares gives me much more control and results in more consistent cookies. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough, and then use your hands to roll them into balls. This method also eliminates the need for a messy scoop!
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Add a slice of bread to your container to keep the cookies soft and delicious!
Yes! Once you have rolled the dough, place them on a cookie sheet and flash-freeze them. When they are solid, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. When ready to bake them, roll in the sugars and bake as per the instructions. You may need to add a couple of minutes to the baking time using frozen dough.
Easy chocolate recipes
Chocolate Pudding
Nothing beats homemade chocolate pudding! Whether you want to satisfy your sweet tooth or impress guests with an impressive dessert, this is for you!
Looking to satisfy your sweet tooth with something extra chocolaty? Try this delicious chocolate ricotta pie! It’s a family favorite – you won’t be able to resist. And for an even more indulgent treat, whip up this delicious chocolate cream cake with ricotta – the perfect way to end any holiday meal in style!
These chocolate croissant cookies are perfect if you are looking for a special occasion cookie. Great for weddings, showers, graduations, and of course, Christmas.
Recipe origins
The holiday season is packed with expectations…these feelings of eager anticipation. All of the baking, the cooking, decorating the Christmas tree, exchanging gifts, the Midnight mass…all rituals with the expectations of recreating beautiful memories.
It’s the time of year when people look forward to spending time with those who mean the most to them. Opportunities to share those reliable family traditions that we all come to expect, whether we love them or hate them… serve the purpose of eliciting emotions.
Along with my mom’s struffoli and mostaccioli, this recipe for these decadent chocolate espresso snowcap cookies is the most requested by family and friends.
One year, I didn’t have time to make them in my annual bake-a-thon of cookies, which nearly caused a riot! (Kidding.) But in all honesty, I underestimated how these were/are everyone’s favorite Christmas cookies.
That was the Christmas I realized how essential expectations were in keeping the balance of certain traditions and creating new ones.
I initially found this snowcap cookie recipe in the October 2003 issue of Everyday Food, by Martha Stewart.
The only change I made was to roll the cookie in granulated sugar before coating them with icing sugar.
This is the best chocolate crinkle cookie recipe! Thank you, Martha!
Enjoy!
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Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made these crinkle cookies, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
The Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup flour all-purpose (70 grams)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 21 grams
- 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted , room temperature
- ⅔ cup brown sugar packed (132 grams)
- 1 egg room temperature
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon milk
- granulated sugar for rolling
- confectioners' sugar for rolling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Set aside.
- With a hand mixer, on medium-high speed, cream butter (room temperature) with the brown sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl. A stand mixer also works.
- Beat in the egg. Scrape down the sides.
- Add the cooled chocolate and mix until well incorporated. If necessary, scrape down the sides.
- On low speed, slowly add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Add 1 tablespoon of milk and beat only until combined. Do not overmix.
- Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into a flat ½-inch rectangle (or square) and place in the freezer for at least 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In one bowl, place ⅓ cup of granulated sugar and ½ – ¾ cup of powdered sugar in a separate bowl.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 30 (¾-1 inch) small squares. (I prefer small cookies, feel free to make larger cookies).
- Then use the palms of your hands to roll them into balls. This method also eliminates the need for a messy scoop!
- Roll each ball first in the white sugar for a light coating and then in the powdered sugar for a thick coating.
- Place on the lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Continue to roll until all of the dough is used.
- Bake the cookies for approximately 9-12 minutes until they look puffy and cracked and their edges begin to set while maintaining a soft center. Do not overbake!
- The cookies will look soft but will firm up as they cool. Allow to cool down before transferring the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool down completely.
Video
Notes
- The butter and egg at room temperature make for a smoother cookie dough.
- Make sure to use good-quality chocolate for the best flavor. The better the chocolate, the richer and more delicious these cookies will be!
- For best results, ensure you chill the cookie dough in the freezer for at least 45 minutes. This makes it easier to roll out the cookies, but you can also expect a deliciously fudgy cookie that won’t spread out too much during baking.
- Don’t overbake the cookies or they will be dry and lose that brownie-like texture.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on December 18, 2015, and republished on December 20, 2022, with updated content, photos and a video. Thanks for sharing.
Susan P Peil
Fabulous deep chocolate cookie. This very well may be the best chocolate cookie I’ve every had, it is a deep dark decadent chocolate with a wonderful texture that is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. The size is about an inch and a half across and is a two-bite cookie, which is perfect given how deep the flavor is. It is also beautiful with the white confectioners sugar in a cracked pattern against the dark chcolate brown, a gorgeous presentation on a plate. I would encourage anyone who is a chocolate lover to try this recipe.
Franca
Perfect recipe. I didn’t have the coffee so I replaced with orzo!
Maria
Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing Franca!
anna
can i use oil instead of the 4tbl butter
Maria
I have never tried Anna… you know I’m all about replacing saturated fats if it doesn’t affect the overall quality. I’m not sure that would work with this recipe. If you do decide to try it, I would love to hear about the results. Thanks for stopping by ♥
Christina
I made these and they’re so perfect ! Great recipe
Maria
Hi Christina! I’m so glad to hear…thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
Sonia and mom
I my gosh Mary these little guys are so beautiful sure making them thanks
Maria
My pleasure Sonia and mom…enjoy! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂