Rich and Fudgy Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are irresistibly soft, tender, and chewy. With a fudgy brownie interior and a cookie crunch on the outside. A classic holiday favorite!
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Earthquake Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies - aka Earthquake Cookies - are a traditional holiday favorite. They’re like a brownie in cookie form. Thick, chewy, and very chocolatey cookies with the perfect crispy outside.
What makes these the BEST Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?
- Double the chocolate for a rich and decadent chocolate fudginess. Unsweetened chocolate, in addition to cocoa powder, gives these cookies bold chocolate flavor without being cloyingly sweet.
- Optional chocolate chips for extra gooey cookies that take the chocolate flavor to a whole new level.
- A boost of espresso powder brings out a deep, rich chocolate flavor. It’s optional, but it really enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cookies taste like coffee.
- Rolling the cookies in granulated sugar before rolling them in powdered sugar.
Roll the cookies in granulated sugar first
Rolling the cooking in granulated sugar before the powdered sugar prevents the powdered sugar from dissolving into the cookie and fading. This helps give the cookie its striking, bright white appearance.
Rolling in granulated sugar also helps fine cracks develop all over the surface of the cookie as the sugar creates a dry top surface that breaks into cracks as the cookie spreads.
Best of all, it creates a delicious crunchiness on the outside of the cookie that contrasts perfectly with the fudgy interior.
There’s no need to chill the dough for several hours
Most recipes for Chocolate Crinkle Cookies have you chill the dough from two hours to overnight to make the dough more workable and so that it spreads less.
This creates wider cracks that are fewer in number as the dough spreads. Because the dough is cold in the center, it doesn’t spread until after the exterior dries out, forcing the cracks to open wide.
Resting the dough at room temperature for about 10 minutes (or in the fridge if your kitchen is very warm) is enough to make the dough workable. During baking, the cookie also has a chance to start spreading before the exterior dries and starts to crack. This helps create more and finer fissures in the cookie as shown in the pictures here.
So the choice is up to you:
For more and finer cracks, rest the dough for about 10 minutes.
For less cracks and wider gaps, chill the dough for two hours or overnight.
How to make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Combine the chocolate and butter in a bowl and microwave at 50 percent power until melted, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool slightly before mixing with eggs.
Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk together.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla.
Whisk the chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined.
Fold in the flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Let dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes until the dough is workable. If your kitchen is very warm you can rest the dough in the refrigerator.
Roll the dough into 2-tablespoon sized balls. Roll in the granulated sugar until well coated. Roll in the powdered sugar until well coated. Then place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 325° F until the cookies are puffed and cracked. The edges will have begun to set, but the insides will still look undone in between the cracks, about 12 minutes. Don’t overbake.
How to make in advance
The cookie dough (or balls of dough) can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The unbaked dough (or balls of dough) can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
How to store and freeze
Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped, 113g
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 57g
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 142g
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural or Dutch-processed, 43g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups packed 298g brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup granulated sugar 99g
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar 57g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F with the rack in the middle.
- Combine the chocolate and butter in a bowl and microwave at 50 percent power until melted, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool slightly before they are mixed with the eggs in step 5.
- Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk together.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs, espresso powder, and vanilla.
- Whisk the chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined.
- Fold in the flour mixture until no dry streaks remain. Let dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes until the dough is workable. If your kitchen is very warm you can rest the dough in the refrigerator. (See Notes)
- Roll the dough into 2-tablespoon sized balls (about 40g). Roll in the granulated sugar until well coated. Roll in the powdered sugar until well coated. Then place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake one sheet at a time at 325° F until the cookies are puffed and cracked. The edges will have begun to set, but the insides will still look undone in between the cracks, about 12 minutes. Don’t overbake.
- Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack or enjoy warm.
- Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- For more and finer cracks, rest the dough for about 10 minutes.
- For less cracks and wider gaps, chill the dough for two hours or overnight.
- Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated.
Nutrition
E
Mary says
I don’t understand when to add eggs. The recipe says to add to the chocolate and then it says to combine with brown sugar
Kelly says
Hi Mary, the eggs are added with the brown sugar. I mentioned cooling the chocolate mixture before adding to the eggs just to mean that the chocolate mixture should be cool enough not to cook the eggs when they are combined in the next step. Hope that helps!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
I am just drooling over how thick and fudgy these cookies look!! Chocolate cookies are my favorite and I know I wouldn't be able to stop with just one of these cookies!!
Kelly says
They're so chocolatey! We love 'em! Thanks so much, Kelly!
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl says
Oh Kelly, pretty sure I could eat an entire plate of these cookies by myself! They look so decadently rich and delicious! Love all of the added chocolate and of course, the espresso!! So delicious!
Kelly says
They're perfectly chocolatey and the espresso really deepens the chocolate flavor. Thanks so much, Haylie!
David @ Spiced says
I love crinkle cookies! For some reason, they just scream holidays to me. They're a fun creation, and they taste so good, too! 🙂 Also, I appreciate the note about espresso powder. I often use a bit in my chocolate baking recipes. It's crazy the difference it makes! These cookies sound awesome, Kelly!!
Kelly says
I always use just enough espresso powder to enhance the chocolate flavor without being able to actually taste the coffee flavor. It works wonders! Thanks so much, David!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
Crinkle cookies are always so much fun! And who doesn't love double chocolate 😉 ?? Perfect for my holiday cookie tray!
Kelly says
They're so chocolatey - we love 'em! Thanks so much, Dawn!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
These look terrific! Love the texture of the surface.. And double chocolate? Sold!
Kelly says
They're very chocolatey! Thanks so much, John!
David Scott Allen says
These cookies look fantastic, Kelly! My mom made chocolate crinkles every year for Christmas, and this brings back so many wonderful memories. I love all your tips – I always learn so much in each of your posts! Being that I live in the desert, I called these “chocolate canyon cookies.“
Kelly says
Aw, so happy these cookies bring back wonderful memories, David. It's a real pleasure making special things knowing that our loved ones will remember us with happiness. Chocolate canyon cookies is a great name! Thanks so much!
Ron says
Hi Kelly, with Christmas cookie season coming on, I've been looking for different cookies to introduce to my Swedish family and neighbors and your Earthquake Cookies just made my list. Thanks for sharing.
Kelly says
They're definitely a Christmas classic! Thanks so much, Ron!
Valentina says
These are bringing out the chocoholic in me! Crinkle cookies are so much fun -- especially when they're SO chocolatey. And the espresso puts them over the top. I'm in!!! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kelly says
Valentina, I love the espresso in them. It really deepens the chocolate flavor. Thanks so much!
Marissa says
I love super chocolatey cookies like this and they are so pretty! Perfect for the holidays!
Kelly says
Marissa, they're wonderfully chocolatey without being overly sweet. Thanks so much!
Andrea says
Dear Kelly, I have made Chocolate Crinkle Cookies in the past, the kids love them and I was planning to make a batch again this year. Your recipe looks fabulous and I really like that it yields 18 cookies - very manageable at this time of year - there are just so many wonderful seasonal cookie recipes out there, that I find it hard to limit myself to a just a few recipes. Adding a good Italian espresso powder to chocolate cookies is always a good idea - love the flavor it adds to cookies.
Deep dark chocolate bliss!
Thank you for sharing another wonderful recipe!
Kelly says
Andrea, the espresso powder really intensifies the chocolate flavor. I also love smaller batches since I bake so often. Everything in moderation! Thanks so much!
Cookie Monster says
Nothing like diet food, love it
Kelly says
Thanks so much, Cookie Monster!
angiesrecipes says
These are definitely a MUST in the holiday cookie tray. I love the add of espresso here. Chocolate and coffee are a dream team.
Kelly says
The espresso really brings out the flavor of the chocolate! Thanks so much, Angie!