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Best Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies have an irresistible brownie textured centre, with a crunch of cookie on the outside! One of our favourite Christmas cookies right here!
Rich and decadent, just like a brownie in the shape of a cookie. You’d be mistaken for thinking these Christmas cookies were super fattening or loaded with calories, but that’s the BEST part! ONLY 88 calories EACH!
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
In the land of wanting to eat whatever we want over Christmas but we can’t because hello fat pants, these cookies become a saviour. Also, this recipe is a half batch recipe, so there’s no need to feel intimidated by a full tray of 1000 cookies staring back at you, begging to be eaten, only for you to try to refuse.
There’s simply not enough. Especially if you have family to steal them all from you before they hit any sort of plate.
HOW TO BAKE Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?
- Make sure you start with room temperature ingredients so the oil and egg mix together easier.
- If you can, use Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder instead of Dutch process cocoa powder
- Make sure you chill the cookie dough for at least 3 hours. The dough is super sticky and easier to manage once it has been chilled (the longer, the better). Chilling also ensures thicker cookies with a fudgy texture, and less spreading while baking.
- Once they are rolled into balls and placed onto your baking sheet, there is no need to press them down. They will naturally bake into shape.
- Make sure your oven is HOT before baking! Or they will still be raw after 10 minutes.
- The baking time suggested in the recipe is a guide. Remember, this depends on how hot your oven runs. They will be super soft when they come out of the oven and harden as they cool. If you bake them for too long, the centres will not be fudgy.
- Bake them big or bake them small, it makes no difference in texture. The end result is the same. For bigger cookies, just leave them in baking in the oven for 2 minutes longer.
After Hot Chocolate Fudge Pudding Cakes, SUPER Fudgy Brownies and Quick Soft Cinnamon Rolls to keep us on our toes, this cookie recipe comes to us as a last minute ‘help me’ type of recipe. This recipe is super simple to make and super decadent with no guilt afterwards. (Well, hardly any guilt.)
You know what I mean. I’ve been hanging to share these with you for so long now, but with Prime Rib Roasts, Scalloped Potatoes, Antipasto Cheese Ball Christmas Trees and Caprese Wreaths creating chaos all over the place, I’ve saved the best for last!
More desserts below!
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Best Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose or plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar or icing sugar, for coating
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, white sugar and vegetable oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until a dough forms (do not over beat). Cover bowl with wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F | 175°C. Line 2 cookie sheets or baking trays with parchment paper (baking paper). Roll 1 tablespoonful of dough into balls for smaller cookies, or 2 tablespoonfuls for larger cookies.
- Add the confectioners (icing) sugar to a smaller bowl. Generously and evenly coat each ball of dough in confectioners' sugar and place onto prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes (for small cookies) or 12 minutes (for larger cookies). The cookies will come out soft from the oven but will harden up as they cool.
- Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.
Notes
88 calories each for smaller cookies. 146 calories each for larger cookies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
i made this several times and always satisfied with the outcome.. so delicious. i used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil and it just works perfectly. my go-to-recipe every time my bf craves for some sweets. I’m glad i found your website 🙂
Is it the same amount of coconut oil?
Made these for my daughter to take to work during this time. Followed the recipe word for word, except I didn’t have parchment paper.
They came out beautifully and didn’t stick to the pans! I had no trouble in the cookies spreading like others had mentioned and I believe it’s in the refrigeration of the dough 4 hours or longer.
The only thing I worry about now is that my daughter knows I can bake these, and her co-workers loved them,,, I’ll be making them all the time 🤣
Love this recipe, they always come out perfect.
This recipe is in the Hersheys chocolate cookbook. The only difference is that the Yield here is halved. All she did here was Halve their recipe.The
Exactly my thoughts, taking credit for a recipe that’s as old as time…
I’ve tried this recipe 3 times now and they haven’t turned out a single time yet. I’ve followed the recipe to the T. Just a lot of wasted money on ingredients. #sad
I make mine into balls and roll in icing sugar then put in freezer for at least 15mins to half HR, then roll in icing sugar again and bake. Stops them spreading as much☺️
Do you bake them as soon as they come out of the freezer, or do you let them thaw a bit?
I have found that they go flat it you over beat them. Try folding the wet mixture into the dry with a spatula until just combined. Solved my flatness issue.
Can I substitute the white sugar for coconut sugar? Or reduce the sugar amount?
I have done this before, but I used less coconut sugar than white. For a first go, I’d use 3/4 cup coconut sugar. You may find that 2/3 is plenty.
Great flavor.. mine seemed to flatten out pretty bad though (even after refrigerating over night). Any idea why I’m having this issue?
Leaving on the hot pan too long instead of transferring them to a cool rack?
I had this issue and it was from over working dough or over handling it.
fool proof and amazing, my sister asks me to make this all the time!! as a 17 year old who literally can’t cook or bake for her life, im glad that i have at least one recipe to take with me to college haha
I’ve done this recipe a couple of times and they’ve never failed me – and my son’s discerning palate. ? Thank you. I’ve got a question though, in time for Christmas. I know you said it can be frozen. How long would it be to thaw the mixture before I can bake them? Thanks again, a newbie baker here. ?
Great recipe, I won’t look anywhere else! I made these half as stated, and half with half a candy cane hershey kiss pressed in after baking– to give it a minty kick. BOTH are delcious keepers <3
It doesnt get crispy outside though let it cool. As soon as out of oven, it is very soft and It gets only slightly harden. The taste and texture is perfect too. Could it be bec of electric oven? I set Temp 175’C for 10 min. Or is it i put it before oven is so hot?