These Brownie Crinkle Cookies are full of fudgy richness with a soft and chewy texture on the inside, and delicious crunch on the outside! They have double the chocolate with cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips added for the perfect amount of sweetness and intense chocolate flavor.
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I love brownies, and I love cookies, so it should come as no surprise that this mashup of cookies and brownies ranks high on my list of sweet holiday treats. These chocolate crinkle cookies have been a favorite of my friends and family, and I knew I had to share it with all of you.
These delicious cookies start with a rich brownie cookie dough full of deep chocolate flavor. I chill them for a few hours, then I roll them into balls and coat them in powdered sugar. Finally, I bake them until they’re chewy and fudgy on the inside and cracked and crispy on the outside.
These double chocolate crinkle cookie are like the perfect brownie! The best part is how quick and easy the dough is to make, too! The only time-consuming part of this recipe is chilling the dough before baking.
If you love chocolate cookies you’ve got to try these chocolate white chocolate chip cookies and these brownie cookies with creamy frosting next!
Why You’ll Love This Brownie Crinkle Cookie Recipe
- Best cookie texture. They’re like a brownie but in cookie form! The inside is tender and chewy while the crinkly exterior adds a bit of crispness, all coated in powdery goodness.
- Full of chocolatey flavor. The dark chocolate cocoa powder and the mini chocolate chips give you a double dose of chocolate flavor in every bite.
- So easy to make. These crinkle brownie cookies come together in just a few simple steps!
- All occasion cookie. Enjoy these anytime of year but they’re especially popular during the holidays.
Ingredients
You’ll only need a few basic baking ingredients to make these crinkle brownie cookies. If you do any amount of baking at all, you probably have all of these ingredients in your kitchen right now. Anything you don’t have is a quick trip to the grocery store away.
- All purpose flour: Use your favorite brand and swap for a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend if needed.
- Baking powder and salt: The baking powder gives these cookies a little lift while the salt enhances all the flavors. Make sure your baking powder is fresh for the best results.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and keeps the cookies tender.
- Dark chocolate cocoa powder: For the ultimate fudgy chocolate flavor. It has a slightly higher concentration of cocoa for a richer and more chocolatey flavor.
- Vegetable oil: This helps create the brownie like texture in these chocolate crackle cookies.
- Large eggs: Add moisture but also structure to the cookies.
- Vanilla extract: Adds natural sweetness and warmth to baked goods.
- Mini chocolate chips: The mini size work best! You can use milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate depending on the flavor you prefer.
- Powdered sugar: This is for coating the cookies before baking. It’s essential for creating the crinkle tops on the cookies while also adding a powdery sweet coating. You can roll the cookies in granulated sugar as well and it will still make them crack.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient with quantities of each one.
Variations
- Make Them Mocha. Try adding a pinch of espresso powder or a splash of coffee to the dough for even deeper chocolate flavor.
- White Chocolate Chips. Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate instead. It creates a different look and flavor.
- Add Nuts. Try adding chopped nuts for more flavor and texture. Pecans and walnuts work great in these chocolate crinkles.
- Add Sprinkles. After rolling the cookie balls in powdered sugar, you can sprinkle candy sprinkles on top for a festive finish.
How to Make Brownie Crinkle Cookies
Making this brownie crinkle cookies recipe is a super easy process. You’ll just mix the dough, chill it, and bake. That’s really all there is to it!
- Step 1: Combine the Dry Ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Step 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients. Whisk the sugar, cocoa powder, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla together until well combined in another bowl.
- Step 3: Mix the Dough. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until combined. Then, stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Step 4: Chill. Form the dough into a flat disk about 2 inches thick. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill it for at least 3 hours.
- Step 5: Prepare to Bake. Before forming the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 6: Form the Cookies. Use a small cookie scoop to scoop out balls of dough. Roll them in your hands until smooth and round, then roll them in powdered sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Step 7: Bake. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. Then, remove them from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Chilling the Dough. It’s important to shape the dough into a 2-inch-thick disk before chilling. This allows all of the dough to get nice and cold.
- Minimum 3 Hours Chill Time. Don’t rush the chilling process. 3 hours is the minimum chilling time if you want those classic cracks in your cookies.
- Parchment Paper. I highly recommend it to make the cookies easier to remove from the baking sheet and cleanup a ton easier.
- Serving Ideas. These are delicious with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. They also make a great addition to a larger holiday dessert table or cookie box with sweet favorites like these peppermint cookies, gingerbread cake, and this cranberry raspberry pie.
Storage Tips
- Leftovers. Store leftover chocolate crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days or in the refrigerator for two weeks. For longer storage you can freeze baked cookies for up to three months. I suggest storing them in single layers separated by parchment paper in the container.
- Freeze the Dough. This dough freezes very well and will last for up to 3 months when stored properly. Simply wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, place it in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag and freeze. When ready to bake, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight. The next day you can prep and bake the cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Chilling the dough is what helps it crack. Baking the dough while cold slows the spread of the cookies, causing them to rise more than spread, giving the top its signature cracks.
If you don’t chill your dough long enough, your cookies will spread too much
There are two things that cause the tops of cookies to crinkle. First, chilling the dough makes the cookies rise more than spread which helps them crack. Next, rolling them in powdered sugar causes the outside to dry out while baking, making the exterior crack as the inside of the cookie bakes and expands.
Try These Delicious Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Today
If you love brownies and cookies, then this is the recipe for you. These rich, fudgy cookies are loaded with decadent brownie flavor. They’re soft and moist on the inside and classically crinkled on the outside, and they make the perfect holiday treat. Give these a try, and I know you’ll be featuring them heavily in your holiday goodies rotation.
More Delicious Holiday Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Brownie Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup Hershey's special dark cocoa powder
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° (after the cookies have chilled) and line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk sugar, cocoa powder, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla together until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir. Add mini chocolate chips, stir to combine.
- Form dough into a flat circular disk, about 2-inches thick, and wrap it with the plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 3 plus hours.
- Using a small cookie scoop, roll cookie dough into balls and then roll into powdered sugar.
- Place cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for a couple minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- *Place cookie dough back in the fridge while the first batch of cookies bake so the dough stays cold.
Notes
- Chilling the Dough. It’s important to shape the dough into a 2-inch-thick disk before chilling. This allows all of the dough to get nice and cold.
- Minimum 3 Hours Chill Time. Don’t rush the chilling process. 3 hours is the minimum chilling time if you want those classic cracks in your cookies.
- Parchment Paper. I highly recommend it to make the cookies easier to remove from the baking sheet and cleanup a ton easier.
- Serving Ideas. These are delicious with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. They also make a great addition to a larger holiday dessert table or cookie box with sweet favorites like these peppermint cookies, gingerbread cake, and this cranberry raspberry pie.
