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These homemade chocolate crinkle cookies are truly above the rest. Rich, fudgy, and irresistibly gooey, they taste almost like a lava cookie in crinkle form. Made with real vanilla extract, cocoa powder, and the real secret—big chunks of dark chocolate—they’re deeply chocolatey in every single bite. Rolled in powdered sugar before baking, each cookie cracks into a beautiful crinkled top. And when eaten warm, the chocolate melts through the soft centers, making them completely irresistible.
Is there anything better than a really good Christmas cookie? December is hands down my favorite month to bake, and in preparation for this year’s 2025 cookie box, I’ve been baking cookies almost every day.
Chocolate crinkle cookies have been on my must-bake list for years, and my cousins Abby and Maggie finally pushed me to make them happen this season. Their one request? The cookies had to be gooey—not dry. And honestly, I agree. So many crinkle cookies look pretty but fall flat when it comes to texture and flavor.
These are different. Think molten chocolate cookie…just in crinkle form.
We love them warm straight from the oven, but they’re just as delicious once cooled and packaged up. Perfect for cookie boxes, sharing with neighbors, or baking for your next holiday party—everyone loves these.
They’re classic, indulgent, and exactly the kind of cookie you want this time of year.
These are the details
Ingredients
- cocoa powder
- granulated sugar
- salted butter
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- flour
- baking soda
- dark chocolate chips – or semi-sweet is great too
- powdered sugar
Special Tools
For these chocolate crinkle cookies, I recommend using a stand mixer fitted with the beater or a handheld mixer. Either is great!
Then, a spatula and cookie sheets!
The Steps
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
Mix together the cocoa powder, both sugars, melted butter, and eggs until smooth and very glossy. Stir in the vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients—flour, baking soda, and salt—then fold in the chocolate chips until just combined.
Step 2: Form the Dough Balls
Scoop the dough into rounded tablespoon-sized balls.
Arrange the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze for 10 to 20 minutes. I’ve found this is usually enough, but if your dough feels extra soft or wet, you can chill for an additional 20 minutes or up to an hour.
Step 3: Roll in Sugar
Before baking, roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar.
Rolling in granulated sugar first helps prevent the powdered sugar from melting into the cookies while baking. If you want very white, dramatic crinkles, don’t skip this step. If you don’t mind a more chocolate-colored cookie, you can roll directly in powdered sugar only.
Step 4: Bake
Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes. If they’re not spreading, pull them out around the 8-minute mark and gently tap the baking sheet on the counter to help them deflate and spread.
Be careful not to overbake—these cookies are meant to stay soft and gooey in the center. Let them set fully on the baking sheet before moving.
Enjoying and Sharing
These cookies are extra gooey and delicious when eaten warm, but they’re just as good once cooled and packaged up. Perfect for cookie boxes, sharing with neighbors, or adding to your holiday dessert table.
Looking for Christmas cookie recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Vanilla Hot Chocolate Molten Cookies
Chewy Frosted Cinnamon Swirl Snickerdoodles
Easy Slice ‘n’ Bake Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
Easy Vanilla Bean Christmas Lights Cookies
Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Lastly, if you make these Gooey Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Gooey Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 92 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter melted
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips/chunks
For Rolling
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer, mix the cocoa powder, both sugars, melted butter, and eggs. Mix for 2 minutes, until very glossy. Add the vanilla, flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips, beating to combine. 2. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 3. Scoop the dough into rounded tablespoon-size balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 10-20 minutes, until chilled. If using, roll each ball through granulated sugar. Then generously roll in powdered sugar and return to the baking sheets.4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies start to set around the edges and crack. The centers should be doughy though. Let cool on the pan. Eat warm or package them up for storing. The cookies keep for 2 to 3 days.
Notes
Tip: If the cookies aren’t spreading by minute 8, remove them from the oven and bang the baking sheet on the counter 2-3x to flatten.
This post was originally published on December 16, 2025
A full cup of cocoa in this recipe felt like a bit much – I wish I had gone with my gut, because it was way too much for the recipe in my opinion. Additionally, I think it would make more sense to chill the dough and then roll it, as it was incredibly sticky to try to work with. They don’t spread, despite me tapping the sheet on the counter to try to flatten. I followed the recipe exactly.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Andrea! So sorry to hear these cookies were not enjoyed!
Didn’t turn out as I had hoped 🙁
Sorry to hear this, Miranda. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help you with!
These were ok but I wouldn’t describe them as “gooey.” They didn’t spread well either despite banging the sheet as instructed and not very crinkly.
Hi Emilee,
Thanks for trying these cookies and sharing your feedback. Sorry to hear they were not enjoyed. For more spreading, I would skip the chill if you want to try again!
Th cookies you made in your IG stories came out pretty round still, and with only a single crack, how can I get them to spread and crinkle properly like they’re supposed to?
Hey Tina! Follow the recipe but don’t chill the cookies. They will spread more then.
Hope you love the cookies! Happy holidays!!!
I made these last night. Easy enough to make I followed the directions exactly, but there were no crinkles on top. I was so sad with the end result. I have made other crinkle cookie recipes in the past and the whole top is crinkled. A couple of these had a crack in them but that was it! They look terrible. They tasted ok, not really gooey though unless you eat them warm from the oven. Otherwise the texture is not gooey.
Hi Amanda,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear you didn’t love them and they weren’t crinkly!
My first batch didn’t come out very gooey. Any thoughts on what to change to make sure they are? Didn’t make any edits to this recipe the first time around. 2.5 rating from me for now.
Hi Gaby,
Thanks so much for try these cookies! I would try reducing your bake time, that should help next time!
Happy Holidays!
I made these today with my 3 1/2 year old grandson assisting. They were delicious! He ate 2 of them! They are perfect for chocolate lovers!
Hey Susan,
Awesome! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed!
It says both sugars in the recipe for the dough, but I only see a 1/2 cup granulated. Am I missing a sugar?
Hi Cheri,
You will want to use 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays!
Hi! This says to add both sugars – one sugar is listed in the ingredients (prior to the rolling part). How much sugar are we to add to the dough?
Hi Erika,
You are going to add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!
I made this yesterday & they didn’t turn out, and now I see that it’s been updated (of course, with no notation) to now include brown sugar. Please make sure someone is proofreading your recipes prior to publishing, they are riddled with errors consistently.
Hi Valerie,
So sorry about that, it was an honest mistake. I hope you will give the cookies another try! Happy Holidays!
Made these today but only used granulated sugar because brown sugar wasn’t listed, but definitely will remake with both. They came out really good even though I didn’t use the brown sugar.
Thanks so much, Melissa! I am so glad to hear these cookies were enjoyed! Happy Holidays!
question for you….If you want to give as a gift and they only last for 2-3 days how do you store before delivery…
Hi Denise,
You can freeze the cookies. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Is it my imagination or does this say “both” sugars, but there is only one?
Hi Patty,
It does “both” sugars, you are going to use 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
I hope you love this recipe!
thank you!
In the process of making and in the instructions you say to combine both sugars. in the mixing bowl..am. I only see one in the ingredients list. Am I missing something?
Hi Denise,
So sorry about that! It’s 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
Please let me know if you have any other questions!