Very crispy on the outside when freshly baked, these chocolate crinkle cookies turn brownie-like when stored in an airtight container. They freeze well and are excellent for mailing. Best of all, the dough can be prepared in advance, and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for 2 weeks before use.
Mix melted and cooled butter with cocoa powder using an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and mix until it’s mostly dissolved. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and finally vanilla extract.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a spatula, mix until just combined. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough into 1½-inch balls and generously dust them with confectioners’ sugar before placing them on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes until your chocolate crinkle cookies are buffed and cracked on top.
Cool cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
As I mentioned in Smart Cookies #05, if you prefer richer, crispier and chewier chocolate crinkle cookies, you may find the following recipe helpful.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
Melt chocolate and butter in a large bowl over simmering water. Make sure that the bottom of bowl does not touch the water. Alternatively, use a double boiler if you have one.
Remove the melted chocolate-butter mixture from heat and stir occasionally to cool it slightly.
Add sugar and stir until evenly moistened.
Using an electric mixer, beat in egg and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about an hour.
When you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Roll dough into approximately 1-inch balls and coat them generously with confectioners’ sugar. Place cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Bake for about 10 minutes until chocolate crinkle cookies are puffed and cracked on top. The center may appear underdone, but will turn crisp as cookies cool.
Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 2 - 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This recipe makes about 3 dozen crisp, delicious, chewy chocolate crinkle cookies.
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a spatula, mix until just combined. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes until your chocolate crinkle cookies are buffed and cracked on top.
