Chocolate crinkle cookies are a must if you are doing any holiday baking this year. Combining a rich, fudgy centre with a delicate, crackled powdered sugar exterior, they’re easy to make, visually stunning, and perfect for any occasion. This vegan recipe is so good that you’d honestly never know the difference.
Why I Made this Recipe
I adore chocolate cookies and love making up cookie trays for the holidays. These eye-catching crinkle cookies are the perfect addition as they are easy to make and a family favourite and I just love how my kitchen smells while they are baking.
Why You Need Crinkle Cookies
This recipe uses everyday pantry ingredients and comes together in a breeze. With every bite, you’ll experience the perfect balance of sweetness and decadence so go ahead and treat yourself to these irresistible cookies!
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is a vegan recipe with an easy gluten-free option. Check out my FAQ for more recipe tips.
Butter: I am using unsalted plant-based block butter. Sub with regular if you are not dairy-free or vegan.
White Sugar: essential for the sweetness and texture of the cookies. I have not experimented with sugar alternatives for this recipe.
Milk: my go-to is almond plant-based milk but feel free to sub with your preferred milk alternative.
Vanilla: I love to elevate the flavour by adding a touch of vanilla bean paste to the dough. Sub with a different flavouring if you want to mix up the flavour profile of the cookies. Peppermint extract works so well for another festive cookie option.
Flour: I am using all-purpose flour. You can sub with cake flour for an even lighter consistency. For gluten-free cookies, sub with your preferred gluten-free flour alternative. My go-to is Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Blend.
Cocoa Powder: I highly recommend using Dutch-processed cocoa powder. You can also use a hot cocoa mix if you prefer, although double-check the ingredients for allergens as many contain dairy.
Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt: these help with the leavening and flavour enhancement of the cookies.
Icing Sugar: to coat the cookies before baking.
How to Make Crinkle Cookies
I always recommend gathering all your ingredients and supplies before starting the recipe. Ensure the butter is at room temperature and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Start by whisking together the white sugar, butter, plant-based milk and vanilla until combined to a smooth consistency. Top Tip: I like using a stand mixer for this recipe as it’s so easy to throw everything in and let the mixer do the magic for us.
Add in the remaining dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until fully incorporated – this takes about 30 seconds.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the attachment.
Now this stage is the slightly messy one but it’s fun as well and my kids love getting involved here! Take a tablespoon of your dough, roll it up into a ball in your hands and then dip it in your icing (powdered) sugar. You can use a small cookie scoop if you prefer. The icing sugar gives the cookies the pretty crinkle effect as the dough bakes.
Top Tip: you can double-coat the dough if you prefer. I find that rolling the dough in white sugar before adding the icing sugar makes them even more crispy on the outside.
Repeat the process until you’ve used up all of the dough. This recipe makes approximately 16 cookies, depending on the size of the dough ball that you make. You can make them smaller or even larger if you prefer. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.
Add the dough balls to a lined baking sheet then bake them for about 10 to 13 minutes.
When they come out of the oven, they will still be slightly soft, which is perfectly fine. As they cool, the cookies will develop a slightly crunchy exterior and remain nice and chewy on the inside.
Don’t these look wonderful! And I just can’t get enough of the smell of chocolate cookies when they are baking. It reminds me of Christmas so much.
Storage Tips
These crinkle cookies will last for up to 7 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Allow to defrost then warm slightly in the microwave before serving.
You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls and pull them out of the freezer whenever you are craving your cookie fix. Place the dough balls on a lined baking pan to flash freeze for 1 hour, before transferring to an airtight container or ziploc bag. Just remember to coat them in sugar before baking and add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Common Questions
As the cookies spread, they crackle due to the combination of ingredients that makes them spread and the icing (powdered) sugar highlights that design. The trick to enhancing the crinkle effect on these cookies is rolling the cookie dough balls in sugar before baking.
If you like a more crispy exterior, you can double-coat the dough balls by rolling in white sugar before coating them in icing sugar.
Absolutely! Simply swap the all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten-free flour alternative. I love using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Blend as it is a straight swap for all-purpose (plain) flour.
The combination of baking soda and baking powder helps the cookies rise and spread in a way that forces the crinkle (or crackle) effect, while the sugar is used to highlight that design. Check out my Red Velvet Cookie recipe for another crinkle cookie option.
Yes, and during the busy holiday season, I highly recommend this. You can make the dough balls 24 hours in advance, store them in the fridge and then roll and coat them before baking.
If you prefer to plan even further ahead, flash-freeze the dough balls then allow them to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before rolling and coating them in sugar before baking. Add 2 to 3 minutes to the baking time.
Serving Tips
My favourite way to serve the chocolate crinkle cookies is shortly after removing them from the oven. They are so good when they are served warm with a nice tall glass of (plant-based) milk.
You can also reheat them in the microwave if serving at a later date.
Look how great they look – I may even go as far as to say that they are the best holiday cookies you’ll ever try!
More Cookie Recipes
Cookies and the Holiday Season are practically besties! Check out these recipes that pair well with crinkle cookies when making up festive trays for gift-giving.
- White Chocolate Cranberry Drop Cookies (Vegan)
- Festive Shortbread (Vegan)
- Disney Inspired Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Orange Cranberry Biscotti (Dairy Free, Nut Free)
- Orange Spice Sugar Cookies (No Spread, No Chill)
Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – Perfect Holiday Baking
Ingredients
- 100 grams Plant Based Butter (unsalted)
- 200 grams White Sugar
- 30 ml Plant Based Milk (2 tbsp)
- 10 ml Vanilla Bean Paste (2 tsp)
- 120 grams All Purpose Flour
- 60 grams Cocoa Powder (Dutch Processed)
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- Pinch of Salt
- 65 grams Icing Sugar (for coating)
Instructions
Prep
- I always recommend gathering all your ingredients and supplies before starting the recipe. Ensure the butter is at room temperature and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Start by whisking together the white sugar, butter, plant-based milk and vanilla until combined to a smooth consistency. Top Tip: I like using a stand mixer for this recipe as it's so easy to throw everything in and let the mixer do the magic for us.
- Add in the remaining dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until fully incorporated – this takes about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the attachment.
- Take a tablespoon of your dough, roll it up into a ball in your hands and then dip it in your icing (powdered) sugar. You can use a small cookie scoop if you prefer.
- Repeat the process until you've used up all of the dough. This recipe makes approximately 16 cookies, depending on the size of the dough ball that you make.
- Add the dough balls to a lined baking sheet then bake them for about 10 to 13 minutes. When they come out of the oven, they will still be slightly soft, which is perfectly fine. As they cool, the cookies will develop a slightly crunchy exterior and remain nice and chewy on the inside.
Video
Notes
- Yield: this recipe makes approx 16 crinkle cookies
- Gluten Free Option: Simply swap the all-purpose flour with your preferred gluten-free flour alternative. I love using Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Blend as it is a straight swap for all-purpose (plain) flour.
- Top Tip: you can double-coat the dough if you prefer. I find that rolling the dough in white sugar before adding the icing sugar makes them even more crispy on the outside.
- Storage: These crinkle cookies will last for up to 7 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Freezing: Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Allow to defrost then warm slightly in the microwave before serving.
- Planning Ahead: You can also freeze the unbaked dough balls and pull them out of the freezer whenever you are craving your cookie fix. Place the dough balls on a lined baking pan to flash freeze for 1 hour, before transferring to an airtight container or ziploc bag. Just remember to coat them in sugar before baking and add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
- Serving Suggestion: My favourite way to serve the chocolate crinkle cookies is shortly after removing them from the oven. They are so good when they are served warm with a nice tall glass of (plant-based) milk. You can also reheat them in the microwave if serving at a later date.
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