Chocolate Crackle Cookies

This chocolate crackle cookie recipe is a Christmas classic—but it's too good to only make once a year. The cookies' distinctive, variegated appearance hints at what lies within; deep, dark fissures of chocolate peak through the crispy, crackly confectioners' sugar crust revealing soft, fudgy centers. The balls of rich chocolate dough are rolled first in granulated sugar and then in confectioners' sugar. The first layer ensures that the second one retains its snowy white appearance. We use chopped bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder in the dough, so you know these crinkle cookies will please chocolate lovers. They are a great addition to any cookie platter and should be in your regular cookie swap recipe rotation. In fact, they're so good you might want to make a double batch because they always disappear fast. 

4 Tips for Making Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Chilling the dough is essential: You might be so eager to eat these chocolate crinkle cookies that you want to speed up the process but don't. Do not skip refrigerating the dough as it is quite soft and sticky and is much easier to work with when chilled. Chilling the dough also limits how much the cookies spread, so they are taller and more brownie-like.

Prevent the dough from sticking: Even when chilled, the dough will warm up as it's handled and may stick to your hands. Washing your hands between forming the cookies and leaving them slightly damp after washing or spraying your palms with cooking spray are two ways to minimize how much dough sticks to your hands.

Make the cookie dough ahead: Make the dough when you have time and then form and bake them later. The dough can sit in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Bake them on dry days: If you can, form and bake these cookies on a dry weather day. If it is humid, the dough will be softer and harder to work with—even if you've chilled it.

The Equipment You Need to Make These Cookies

Double boiler: Use a double boiler (or a heat-proof bowl set over a small saucepan) to melt the chocolate for this recipe. You can also melt it in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring well after each one.

Sifter: Sifting the dry ingredients removes any lumps and aerates the flour and cocoa powder. If you don't have a flour sifter, use a fine-mesh strainer instead.

Electric mixer: Like many other cookie recipes, this one calls for creaming the butter and sugar together before incorporating the other ingredients. This beats air into the butter and evenly distributes the sugar, ensuring a better finished texture. Using a stand-mixer will free up your hands, making it easy to add in the other ingredients, but you can use a handheld mixer instead.

Ice cream scoop: While not essential, a #60 ice cream scoop—which holds one tablespoon of dough—will ensure each cookie is the same size and speed up the portioning step.

Baking sheets: Reach for two baking sheets for this recipe (either cookie sheets or rimmed baking sheets will work equally well). Be sure to line them with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets to guarantee a stick-free removal.