Easy & Fudgy Cake Mix Chocolate Crinkle Cookies: The Ultimate Holiday Treat
Get ready to bake the most irresistible and effortlessly delicious cookies of the season! This **Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe** transforms a simple chocolate cake mix into rich, fudgy, and beautifully crinkled treats that are absolutely perfect for your holiday cookie tray. With minimal effort and just a few pantry staples, you can whip up a batch of these decadent delights, coated in a snowy layer of powdered sugar, making them as festive to look at as they are to eat.
Every year, the holiday season brings with it a delightful tradition: the cookie swap. My friend hosts one, and it’s always a highlight, where everyone brings their best cookies to share and takes home an exciting assortment. This Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe has been a consistent crowd-pleaser for me at these events, always garnering rave reviews! It’s such a fantastic way to discover new holiday cookie favorites and effortlessly assemble a beautiful Christmas cookie platter to serve at any festive gathering.
This year, I’m definitely including these classic crinkle cookies on my holiday baking list. Their rich chocolate flavor and signature cracked, powdered sugar coating make them truly iconic. I’m also contemplating adding these delicious Oatmeal White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies to the mix for a refreshing contrast. The beauty of these crinkles lies in their simplicity, much like our Easy Cake Mix Cookies, as both recipes cleverly utilize a boxed cake mix. This shortcut makes baking these incredibly easy and accessible for even novice bakers.
Imagine, you simply combine a boxed cake mix with a few basic wet ingredients, roll the dough in powdered sugar, and bake. The result? Perfectly chewy, intensely fudgy, and wonderfully festive cookies with that characteristic crinkled top. In previous years, my cookie swap contributions have included other favorites like Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies, White Chocolate Toasted Coconut Cookies, classic Sugar Cookies, and these warmly spiced Double Ginger Molasses Cookies. But the chocolate crinkles always hold a special place on the holiday table.
Why You Will Love this Easy Crinkle Cookie Recipe
- Lightning-Fast Prep: These chocolate crinkle cookies are a dream for busy bakers. Thanks to the cake mix shortcut, prep time is minimal, and you’ll have deliciously fudgy cookies ready to enjoy after just a short bake. They truly couldn’t be easier or quicker to make!
- Decadent Double Chocolate Flavor: For the ultimate chocolate lover, this recipe delivers! The base of rich chocolate cake mix is enhanced with both chocolate syrup and miniature chocolate chips, creating an incredibly intense and satisfying double chocolate experience in every bite.
- Perfect for Holiday Gatherings: With their striking crinkled appearance and snowy powdered sugar coating, these cookies are naturally festive. They add a touch of elegance and classic charm to any holiday dessert platter, making them ideal for parties, potlucks, and cookie exchanges.
- Easily Doubled (or Tripled!): This recipe yields a generous 14 cookies, but it’s incredibly simple to scale up. Whether you need a small batch for a treat or several dozen for a big event, you can easily double or even triple the ingredients to bake more. Enjoy some fresh, and freeze the rest for a quick, convenient treat later on!
- Kid-Friendly Fun: Getting little helpers involved in the kitchen is easy with these cookies. Rolling the dough balls in powdered sugar is a fun and simple step that kids absolutely love, making this a wonderful recipe for family baking traditions.
Simple Ingredients You’ll Need for These Fudgy Crinkles
The beauty of these cake mix crinkle cookies lies in their straightforward ingredient list. You’ll likely have most of these on hand, making last-minute baking a breeze.
- Chocolate Cake Mix: This is the star ingredient that makes these cookies so incredibly easy and gives them their rich, chocolatey base. I typically use a 15.25 oz box of Betty Crocker Devil’s Food Cake Mix, but any brand of chocolate cake mix will work beautifully. For an even deeper chocolate flavor, you can consider adding a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to the mix.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted unsalted butter adds richness and moisture to the cookie dough. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall saltiness of the cookies, ensuring the perfect balance of flavors.
- Large Eggs: Two large eggs bind the ingredients together, adding structure and contributing to the fudgy texture that crinkle cookies are known for. For best results, ensure your eggs are at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste for an even more intense flavor) enhances the chocolate notes and adds a warm, comforting aroma to the cookies. Don’t skip this!
- Chocolate Syrup & Miniature Chocolate Chips: To achieve that truly decadent “double chocolate” effect, we incorporate both chocolate syrup and miniature chocolate chips into the dough. The syrup adds a deeper, smoother chocolate taste, while the chips provide delightful pockets of melted chocolate. If you prefer a less intense chocolate flavor, you can omit these.
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): This is crucial for the signature crinkled appearance. Rolling the cookie dough balls generously in powdered sugar before baking creates a stark white contrast that cracks beautifully as the cookies expand in the oven. While granulated sugar can be used, it won’t give you the same classic white “crinkle” look.
How to Make Easy Cake Mix Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Creating these delightful chocolate crinkle cookies is surprisingly simple and requires just a few easy steps. Let’s get baking!
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Station & Cookie Dough: First, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix, melted unsalted butter, large eggs, vanilla extract, and chocolate syrup. Mix these ingredients thoroughly until a well-combined, thick dough forms. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tougher cookies.
Mix the dough until just combined.
Step 2: Fold in the Chocolate Chips: Once the dough is mixed, gently fold in the miniature chocolate chips. Stir just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. This ensures you get that delightful chocolate burst in every bite.
Step 3: Portion and Shape the Cookies: Use a two-tablespoon cookie scoop to create uniform cookie dough balls. This is key for even baking and consistent results. If the dough feels too sticky to handle, chill it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, which will make it much easier to roll.
Step 4: Coat with Powdered Sugar: Place a generous amount of powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) in a shallow bowl. Take each cookie dough ball and roll it thoroughly in the sugar, ensuring it’s completely coated. This thick layer of sugar is what creates those beautiful cracks and the iconic crinkle effect as the cookies bake. A good coating makes all the difference!
Step 5: Bake the Cookies: Arrange the sugar-coated cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1.5 to 2 inches of space between each one to allow for spreading. Bake for approximately 11 minutes. The cookies will be puffed and set around the edges, but still soft in the center. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Avoid overbaking if you want those lovely fudgy centers!
Step 6: Cool Completely: Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven. Resist the urge to move them immediately! Allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet. This crucial step allows them to firm up and prevents them from breaking. Transferring them too early can compromise their delicate structure and those beautiful crinkles.
Creative Ways to Modify This Crinkle Cookie Recipe
While these chocolate crinkle cookies are perfect as is, they also serve as a fantastic base for creativity! Here are some exciting ways to adapt this recipe and explore new flavor combinations:
- Experiment with Cake Mix Flavors: Don’t limit yourself to just chocolate! Swap the chocolate cake mix for a vanilla, red velvet, strawberry, or even a spice cake mix to create entirely new crinkle cookie varieties. If you’re using a vanilla mix, consider adding a touch of food coloring for a vibrant hue, or a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder to a chocolate cake mix for an extra deep flavor.
- Zesty Lemon Crinkles: For a bright and tangy treat, use a box of lemon cake mix. Replace the chocolate syrup with fresh lemon juice and stir in some finely grated lemon zest for an extra burst of citrus. You could even add a light lemon glaze after baking for a gourmet touch.
- Nutty Additions: Enhance the texture and flavor by incorporating chopped nuts. Walnuts, pecans, or even slivered almonds would be delicious additions. For an extra layer of flavor, lightly toast the nuts before adding them to the dough.
- Festive Peppermint Twist: Nothing says holidays like peppermint and chocolate! Add a teaspoon of peppermint extract to the dough along with the vanilla. For an extra festive touch, sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the powdered sugar before baking, or drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with peppermint after cooling.
- Coffee for Depth: To deepen the chocolate flavor without making the cookies taste distinctly like coffee, add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder or instant coffee granules to the dry cake mix. This subtle addition amplifies the richness of the chocolate beautifully.
- Mint Chocolate Chip Crinkles: Swap out the regular miniature chocolate chips for mint chocolate chips. This creates a refreshing mint-chocolate combination that is always a hit, especially during the festive season.
- White Chocolate Drizzle: Once the cookies are completely cooled, melt some white chocolate chips and drizzle them artfully over the crinkled tops. This adds another layer of sweetness and a beautiful visual contrast.
- Spiced Crinkles: If you’re using a vanilla or yellow cake mix, consider adding a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, or even a touch of pumpkin pie spice for a warm, autumnal flavor profile.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes, it’s possible to overmix! To ensure your cookies remain soft, chewy, and fudgy, only stir the dough until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour (even from a cake mix), leading to a tougher, denser cookie texture.
It is not recommended to add more powdered sugar after the cookies have baked. The iconic “crinkle” effect happens as the sugar coating bakes and cracks. Adding more sugar afterward will simply dust the cookies and obscure the beautiful crinkles, detracting from their signature look.
If your dough is too sticky to handle and roll into balls, simply chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or even up to an hour). This will firm up the dough, making it much easier to scoop and coat without it sticking to your hands.
The best way to ensure even baking is to make sure all your cookie dough balls are the same size. Using a cookie scoop (like a 2-tablespoon scoop as suggested) is perfect for achieving this consistency, allowing all cookies to cook at the same rate.
For optimal baking and to prevent cookies from merging, place the cookie dough balls about 1.5 to 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. This gives them enough room to spread slightly as they bake without touching each other.
It’s important to let these cookies cool completely on the baking sheet immediately after removing them from the oven. This allows the cookies to continue setting and firm up. Moving them to a cooling rack too soon can cause them to break or lose their shape, especially while they are still warm and delicate.
Storage Tips for Freshness and Convenience
These delicious chocolate crinkle cookies are a joy to have on hand, and they store wonderfully, whether you plan to enjoy them soon or save them for later.
- Room Temperature Storage: Once your cookies are fully baked and completely cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain fresh, soft, and fudgy for up to 5 days. Layering them with parchment paper can help prevent sticking if stacking.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: These cookies freeze beautifully! After baking and allowing them to cool completely, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30-60 minutes until firm. Then, transfer the hardened cookies to an airtight freezer-safe container or a large freezer bag. If using a container, place a layer of parchment paper between each layer of cookies to prevent them from sticking together. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, simply defrost them in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a few hours.
- Freezing Unbaked Dough Balls: For ultimate convenience, you can also freeze the cookie dough before baking. Scoop and roll the cookie dough balls, coat them generously in powdered sugar, and then place them on a baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours until they are solid. Once frozen, transfer the unbaked, coated dough balls to an airtight freezer container or bag. They will keep for up to 3 months. When you’re ready for freshly baked cookies, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet (no need to thaw!) and add an extra 1-2 minutes to the baking time. This is perfect for impromptu cookie cravings!
Other Decadent Desserts to Try:
- EASY CHOCOLATE FUDGE
- ALMOND CAKE RECIPE
- PEANUT BUTTER BLOSSOM COOKIES
- SEA SALT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- NO BAKE COOKIES
- GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookie Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 box of chocolate cake mix,, Betty Crocker Devils Food Cake Mix, 15.25 oz
- 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter,, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup
- 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and chocolate syrup together until mixed well.
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Add the miniature chocolate chips and stir until combined.
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Use a two tablespoon cookie scoop and create cookie dough balls.
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Place each cookie dough ball in the powdered sugar and coat well.
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Place the covered cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet about 1 1/2” – 2” apart.
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Bake for 11 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
Notes
- Cookies can be stored for up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.
- Do not add more powdered sugar after baking or they will lose their “crinkle” effect
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.