Easy to make cookies with a rich chocolate flavour, a soft, fudge-like texture and coated with a thin, sweet sugar dusting of icing sugar.

Do you know how you can tell when a recipe is a winner? When you ask a smartphone distracted teenager to have a taste, and she does, and she then looks up from Tik Tok long enough to exclaim, “Oh man! These are really good!”. That, dear friends, was how I knew that this recipe for chocolate crinkle cookies was post-worthy.

How best to describe the taste of this popular cookie that is more informative than “Oh man!”? Well, if you live in Canada and have ever visited a Tim Hortons the same teenager said that these cookies taste like the chocolate timbits from this favourite coffee shop – but better (sorry Tim).

Why this recipe is great

The reason these cookies are so delicious is their deep chocolate flavour, their almost fudge-like texture and their sweet sugary coating.

They are also very quick and easy to whip up. This is perfect because these cookies are also a great cookie to gift. So, if you are preparing them for Christmas cookie baskets, a chocolate filled Valentine’s tray, or to bring to a hostess when you are invited for dinner, it will take minimal time and effort.

Key ingredients

Flour I use all purpose flour to make these cookies. Easy to find, relatively inexpensive, and super versatile!

Cocoa powder I use Dutch process cocoa powder in these cookies.

Dark chocolate I tend to prefer milk chocolate in general, but in these cookies, the intense flavour of dark chocolate is key!

Brown sugar Brown sugar is perfect for sweetness when you also want a caramel flavour.

White sugar When all you want is sweetener, white sugar is great.

Baking powder To give these cookies the lift they need, I use baking powder – the perfect leavening agent in this recipe.

Eggs I always use large eggs in my baking.

Vanilla extract I use pure vanilla extract only. It is definitely more costly than artificial vanilla extract, but you don’t need much in recipes usually, so it is well worth it.

Vegetable oil The fat in these cookies is vegetable oil, so they are really light. The vegetable oil is practically flavourless, and just gives a great texture to these cookies.

Icing sugar The way you get the crinkle effect is by rolling the unbaked cookie balls in icing or confectioners sugar.

How to make

Making these chocolate crinkle cookies is really pretty simple. Follow these steps for the perfect cookie. Complete recipe including ingredient amounts, and exact steps, in the Recipe Card below.

Step 1
In a double boiler, melt the chopped dark chocolate. Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in the microwave. Let cool while you prepare the next steps. You can learn all about using a double boiler in the Frequently Asked Questions section below

Step 2
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

Step 3
In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat together the oil and the brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes. It will look crystallized. Next add the eggs and vanilla. Beat to combine. Add in the melted chocolate, mix well.

Step 4
With the mixer still on low speed slowly add in the flour mixture. Beat until just well combined. The cookie dough will be slightly sticky.

Step 5
Place the cookie dough in a clean bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This will help prevent the cookies from expanding and spreading out too much while baking. This is a very important step, don’t skip it.

Step 6
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven is preheating, let your dough sit out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.

Step 7
Shape your cookies into balls and roll them in a bowl of icing sugar. Place on parchment lined paper.

Step 8
Bake for approximately 12 minutes.

Recipe substitutions

If you would rather not use vegetable oil in your cookies, you can use avocado oil, or even melted butter. If you use the melted butter, keep in mind that the texture of your cookies will be quite different.

You can use natural cocoa powder in this recipe. Your cookies may not have the same texture, but they should still be fine!

Baking tips

Melt your chocolate carefully

Anyone who has rushed the chocolate melting process, or done it incorrectly, knows that chocolate can separate and you can end up with a hard mess instead of beautifully melted chocolate.

Chill your dough

This cookie dough really does need to chill a bit in order for it to bake up properly. If you dough is not chilled, it risks spreading too much in the oven and you will end up with flat, possibly misshapen cookies.

Frequently asked questions

The recipe says to melt the chocolate in a double boiler. What exactly is a double boiler?

A double boiler, or bain-marie, is a special piece of kitchen equipment that is like a heated bath; it is used to melt ingredients or to bring them up to a certain temperature slowly and evenly. Although you can purchase an actual double boiler – personally I think that this is only a good option if you have unlimited funds and unlimited kitchen storage space, or if you are a chocolatier.

How can I make my own bain-marie?

To make your own bain-marie at home simply use a saucepan and a heat-proof bowl that covers the top of your saucepan. Place a few inches of water in your pot and nestle the bowl over your pot; be sure that the water does not touch the bottom of your bowl – you want your chocolate (in the case of this recipe) to melt with the heat created by the steam and not the hot water directly). As well, be sure that your bowl fits snugly in your pot because you don’t want any of the steam which is created to escape.

How can I melt chocolate in a bain-marie?

Once you have set up your bain-marie or double boiler as described above, place your chocolate into the bowl and turn the heat on to medium. Use a whisk to stir the chocolate as it starts to melt due to the steam. Once your chocolate has completely melted, turn off the heat and remove the bowl from the top of your saucepan – carefully! The bowl will be hot, and you don’t want to get burned by any escaping steam.

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Storing and freezing

Store your cookies in a well sealed container for up to a week at room temperature.

You can freeze your baked cookies in single layers in a freezer bag, or freezer safe container for up to 2 months. We suggest lining each layer with parchment paper. Once you’re ready to use them, thaw them in the refrigerator or counter. Bring to room temperature prior to use.

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