Easy brownie crinkle cookies, made from scratch. They are just like a brownie, in cookie form! Rich and fudgy on the inside with a crackly, chewy exterior, they are made with melted butter and cocoa powder, with loads of chocolate chips thrown in for good measure. No chilling dough and no mixers required.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Basic ingredients – made with just a handful of easy pantry staples like butter, cocoa powder, eggs and sugar.
- Extra chocolatey – double chocolate crinkle cookies made with a rich cocoa base and chocolate chips.
- Rich and fudgy – with classic, chewy edges and a soft, brownie-like centre.
- Quick and easy – ready in 20 minutes with no chilling or fancy equipment required. Just mix, bake and enjoy!
- Keep well – they get better with time! And they store well at room temp or frozen, perfect for anytime you need a chocolate hit.
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
- Cocoa powder – use Dutch processed or regular, unsweetened cocoa powder. Sift it first, to remove lumps.
- Eggs – 2 eggs, at room temperature.
- Plain flour – plain (all-purpose) flour forms the structure of the cookies. Be sure to measure the flour accurately! Adding too much flour will prevent spread and make the cookies too dry. A kitchen scale is the most accurate way to measure, or you can spoon the flour into your measuring cups and level it off with a knife.
- Baking powder – for rise and texture. Check the expiry of your baking powder and make sure that it is in-date for best results.
- Butter – melted butter is used for the chewy texture. I recommend using real, full-fat butter for best results.
- Sugar – granulated white sugar for sweetness and texture.
- Icing sugar – also called powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar, the cookies are rolled in a thick layer of icing sugar before being baked. This gives them their crisp outer texture and crackly appearance. If you don’t like the feel of icing sugar on your cookies, you can use granulated white sugar instead.
- Chocolate chips – use whichever type of chocolate you prefer (white, milk, dark chocolate). Choose a good quality brand that you know and love, for best results. The chocolate chips can be omitted, if preferred.
Step by step instructions
Step 1 – Mix the dry ingredients;
Mix the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar and chocolate chips together in a bowl.
Step 2 – Add the wet ingredients;
Add the eggs, melted butter and vanilla and stir to combine.
Step 3 – Roll the cookie batter into balls;
Roll heaped teaspoon-sized pieces of dough in your hands. **This size will make approximately 22-24 cookies. They can be made larger, or smaller if preferred, but cooking times will vary.
Step 4 – Coat in icing sugar;
Roll the balls of cookie batter in the icing sugar, until they are thickly coated.
Step 5 – Bake;
Place the cookie balls on a lined baking tray and bake. **Leave enough room between the cookies to allow for them to spread in the oven.
Expert tips
- If you don’t like cookies coated in icing sugar (powdered sugar), then roll them in granulated sugar instead. They’ll still be crackly and crunchy, without the extra powdery feel.
- Be sure to measure the flour accurately, for best results.
- Leave them to cool on the baking tray for 1-2 minutes before moving, as they will be soft straight from the oven and will break if you attempt to move them right away.
- Sift the cocoa powder to prevent lumps.
- Leave some space between the cookies, as they will spread while baking.
FAQs
You can freeze leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months, perfect for whenever you have a chocolate craving.
You can tell when the cookies are done when they finish spreading and develop their signature “crackly” tops. This takes 10-15 minutes, depending on their size. They will feel firm on top, when gently pressed.
Rolling the cookies in powdered sugar/icing sugar before baking means that as they spread in the oven, the sugar cracks apart and forms ‘crinkles’. The crinkly finish is crunchy and sweet.
These cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
You can make the dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days before baking. Alternatively, you can roll the balls out and chill them until solid before transferring to a container or freezer bag and freeze until ready to use. When ready to eat them, just thaw the balls for a few minutes while you pre-heat the oven, roll in icing sugar and bake! Chilled dough will need an extra minute or two in the oven.
Related recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating or leave a review below and let you know how you went!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for the latest recipes and news.
Brownie Crinkle Cookies with Cocoa Powder
Ingredients
- 150 grams plain flour 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup cocoa unsweetened
- 1 cup white sugar granulated
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips dark or milk
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 65 grams butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For coating
- ⅓ cup icing sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180 °C/356 F and line two oven trays with baking paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar and chocolate chips) and mix until combined.
- Add the eggs, melted butter and vanilla and stir until combined.
- Using your hands, roll heaped teaspoons of the cookie dough into balls (approximately 22-24 cookies).
- Roll the balls of cookie dough into the icing sugar until they are thickly coated.
- Place the balls onto the baking trays, leaving enough space to allow the cookies to spread.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cooked through. The cookies will still appear fudgy and soft. Leave on the tray for 1-2 minutes to cool slightly, before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
- If you don’t like cookies coated in icing sugar (powdered sugar), then roll them in granulated sugar instead. They’ll still be crackly and crunchy, without the extra powdery feel.
- Be sure to measure the flour accurately, for best results.
- This recipe makes about 22-24 cookies, when using heaped-teaspoon sized portions of dough. They can be made larger or smaller, but cooking times will vary.
- Leave them to cool on the baking tray for 1-2 minutes before moving, as they will be soft straight from the oven and will break if you attempt to move them right away.
- Sift the cocoa powder to prevent lumps.
- Leave some space between the cookies, as they will spread while baking.
- Freezing; You can freeze the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 months, perfect for whenever you have a chocolate craving.
- Storage; These cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Make ahead; You can make the dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days before baking. Alternatively, you can roll the balls out and chill them until solid before transferring to a container or freezer bag and freeze until ready to use. When ready to eat them, just thaw the balls for a few minutes while you pre-heat the oven, roll in icing sugar and bake! Chilled dough will need an extra minute or two in the oven.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the dough being divided into 22 cookies, with one cookie being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional sides served with the cookies.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary. I have included weights for the shortbread crust, to help with the exact measurements.
Nutrition
Are you following us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest?
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in January 2019, but was re-published with new information, helpful tips and photos in June 2022.
Trish says
I am so impressed with these cookies. My two adult sons decided to surprise me with making these cookies. They came out exactly as the recipe looked most professional. They are absolutely decadent cookies.
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Trish! How lovely are your sons, that is such a sweet surprise! I’m so happy you enjoyed them. Thanks for taking the time to let me know! Andrea 🙂
Kate says
Can vanilla extract or essence be used instead of vanilla bean paste?
Andrea Geddes says
Hi Kate, yes – you can use the same quantities of vanilla extract or essence. I hope you enjoy them! Andrea 🙂