Chocolate Crinkles

Holiday baking is in full swing at our house. And of all the cookies we make during the holidays this is Emily’s favorite, so no holiday is complete without them. Chocolate Crinkles are a holiday classic. If you’ve never tried them, you’ve been missing out. Cookie dough, rolled in a dusting of powdered sugar then baked until puffed with light outer crunch and a center that closely resembles a brownie. The notes of chocolate pop through the snowy white powdered sugar earning the “crinkle” in their name!

Cookies have been a part of our holiday gift-giving for years. I was a single Mom when Emily was a kid. Baking cookies became our way of offering something special to her friends without breaking our budget! Chocolate Crinkles are perfect for holiday baking. A cross between a brownie and a cookie, it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t like them. Unsweetened chocolate melted and blended with sugar, eggs, a generous amount of pure vanilla extract plus a touch of baking powder for a light lift, then rolled before baking in powdered sugar.

If your mixer is large enough to handle the volume of dough, you can easily double this recipe. Once it’s mixed simply store the cookie dough in your refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Keep the dough chilled and your cookies will hold their shape and not spread too much while baking.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave then the cookie dough comes together quickly. Just be sure to use a low setting, stirring the chocolate along the way. I seldom use my microwave except for reheating a cup of coffee or occasionally defrosting, but it does come in handy for melting chocolate or butter. Don’t overheat the chocolate or it will scorch. As always, use quality chocolate and pure vanilla extract. They are key components in the cookies and you want their flavors to shine through.

Chocolate Crinkles have been a part of our holidays for decades and there’s no reason to stop now!

Chocolate Crinkles

2 cups sugar

½ cup vegetable or canola oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

4 extra-large eggs

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and the melted chocolate. Cream the mixture together on medium-low speed.

Add the eggs one at a time, blending into the sugar and chocolate mixture using low speed.

In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and the kosher salt.

Add about ½ cup at a time to the cookie dough, blending on low speed.

Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours so that the dough is thoroughly chilled.

When you’re ready to bake, place the 1 cup of powdered sugar in a small bowl. Scoop out rounds of dough measuring about 1” in diameter and roll the dough in the powdered sugar, coating all sides. A mini ice cream scoop works great for measuring out cookie dough.

Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with either a Silpat liner or parchment paper, leaving about 2” between the cookies.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the cookies no longer look “wet”. Cool slightly on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 5 to 6 dozen cookies.