What’s better than freshly baked chocolate crinkle cookies? Frozen chocolate crinkle cookies, in my opinion. But don’t take my word for it. Whip up a batch and judge for yourself.
Dubious? Do as I did on Sunday and prepare one-third of the recipe (which yields two or three servings). I’ll warn you now, though: After one bite, you’ll wish you made the full quantity.
These chocolate crinkle cookies are slightly crisp on the outside (thanks to a sugar-cinnamon coating) and soft and chewy on the inside. If you prefer a firmer texture (like me), try freezing the treats for at least an hour before digging in.
Recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Makes 18 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ cups light or dark brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Combine the chocolate and butter in a small bowl. Microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2-3 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and butter mixture and whisk until combined.
- Add the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Let dough sit for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Meanwhile, place granulated sugar in a small, shallow dish. Add cinnamon, if using, and stir to combine. Place powdered sugar in a separate small, shallow dish.
- When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 325 degrees with rack in center position. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide dough into 18 equal pieces (about 2 tablespoons each) and shape into balls. Roll the balls in the sugar-cinnamon mixture and then the powdered sugar. Place 9 balls on each prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until puffed and the centers are still soft, 11-12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
Notes
For this batch, I used HERSHEY's Cocoa SPECIAL DARK, which is a blend of natural and Dutch-processed cocoa powders.
