Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with Powdered Sugar
Cocoa cookies rolled twice in sugar so the cracks show white against a fudgy, brownie-dark inside.
- Serves
- 30
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Written
Method
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Whisk the sugar, oil, melted chocolate, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth and glossy.
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Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then fold into the wet mixture until a soft, sticky dough forms.
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Cover and refrigerate until firm enough to scoop, at least 3 hours or overnight.
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Heat the oven to 350°F and line two sheet pans with parchment.
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Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball first in granulated sugar and then heavily in powdered sugar until fully coated.
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Space the balls on the sheet pans and bake until the edges are set and the tops have cracked deeply, 10 to 12 minutes — the centers should still look soft.
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Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
The double coat is what makes the crackle: granulated sugar first gives the powdered sugar something to grip, so it survives the oven instead of melting into the dough and disappearing. Skip the chill and the dough spreads flat before it sets, and the cracks never open up.
Pull them at 12 minutes even if they look underdone — they firm up entirely on the pan as they cool, and a fudgy center is the point. No unsweetened baking chocolate on hand, swap in ½ cup cocoa powder plus 3 extra tablespoons of oil.