Easy Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Vegan!)
These are super soft, thick, chewy, and fudgy vegan chocolate crinkle cookies totally filled with chocolate and made extra sweet with the powdered sugar. Basically, it’s like a chocolate explosion!
Basically a brownie-like cookie, these cookies are melt-in-your-mouth amazing, with twice the chocolate and twice the rolling in sugar. They have a crisp powdered sugar outside and a fudgy center that makes this one of the favorite Christmas cookies on the cookie platter!
These cookies are a total crowd pleaser, no matter if you are vegan or not. No one will be able to tell these cookies are dairy free, egg free, and nut free. The best part? You can mix them up and bake them right away, no need to chill!
Chocolate crinkles are a must for holiday baking and cookie exchanges.
I know I say this about a lot of cookies, but this recipe really is one of my favorite Christmas cookie to make and eat. They totally make the top 5 list, if I were to have to put one together.
Want more holiday cookies? Read through all my cookie recipes here!
Why You’ll Love these Crinkle Cookies
- Tastes just like a brownie in a cookie form
- Double chocolate with cocoa powder and melted chocolate
- Simple and easy to make
- No weird ingredients
- Perfect for cookie boxes
Ingredients
Here is a quick rundown of the simple ingredients you’ll need to make these cookies. For the full list of ingredients with measurements, please see the recipe card below.Â
- Cocoa Powder & Chocolate: Double the chocolate means double the fun! Or something like that. Use a good natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch Processed cocoa powder. For the melted chocolate, you can use chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, or your favorite vegan chocolate bar. I love to use Enjoy Life chocolate chips or Endangered Species for my chocolate. Use a semi-sweet chocolate chip if you can.
- Sugar & Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ sugar): The granulated sugar goes into the cookie dough and then the cookie dough balls get rolled first in a bit more granulated sugar and finally powdered sugar. Make sure your sugar is organic and vegan.
- Plant based Milk: Your favorite dairy free milk works great in this. I typically use soy milk that is unflavored and unsweetened. If it’s been in the fridge, warm the milk slightly to room temperature for the best results in the recipe.
- All Purpose Flour: Regular flour is all you need.
- Oil & Applesauce: This helps to keep the cookies super moist!
- Flaxseeds: This makes the flaxseed egg to hold the cookies together.
- Vanilla extract
- Baking Powder, Salt, Cornstarch
InstructionsÂ
Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.Â
- In a small bowl mix the flaxseeds and water to make a flaxseed egg. Melt the chocolate chips in a separate small bowl. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla, milk, flax egg, and melted chocolate. Whisk until it’s smooth.Â
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a spatula because this dough gets really thick really quick!Â
- Using a small cookie scoop (mine was a 1 tablespoon measurement that made about 1-inch balls) roll the cookie dough in your hands. Roll the cookie dough first in the granulated sugar and immediately into the powdered sugar. Don’t be afraid to roll it twice for extra coverage! Place it onto a parchment lined prepared baking sheet. Repeat until no more dough remains.Â
Should you chill or not? I’ve tested this recipe several times both chilling for 10 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, and just baking them in the oven. Honestly? I don’t find that much of an improvement when chilling the dough. If you are making these on a super hot day, I would suggest a quick 15 minute cool down on the fridge before scooping just to make the dough easier to work with!
- Bake the cookies at 350F/175C for about 14 minutes. They look a little wet but will be fully set and have a baked bottom. Let them cool for about 10 minutes on the cookie tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before enjoying.Â
Variations
- Add even more chocolate! Add in a quarter cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter.
- Try it with oats! Add in a half cup of rolled oats. These are just like the cookies my mom used to bake for Christmas.Â
- Add nuts! Add in a half cup of chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds.
- Make them minty! Add in a few drops of peppermint extract to the dough for a minty twist.
Vegan Cookie Tips
- Use all natural cocoa powder in these cookies. Not only does natural cocoa powder have a richer taste than Dutch processed, it also has a bit more acidity in the cookie, helping them to puff up in the oven, resulting in a more tender cookie.
- While the spoon and scoop method is pretty good, you’ll get the best results by using a kitchen scale to weigh out all the ingredients.
- if you are baking these cookies after chilling them in the fridge, make sure to add an extra minute to two to the baking time if you are baking them on the same, chilled cookie sheet.
- Wash these dishes right away and don’t let them rest on the countertop for long. This is very sticky dough and if it hardens, especially onto a cookie scoop, it is a nightmare for cleaning.
How to Store
Countertop: Store the fully baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container on the countertop for up to about a week.
Freezer: These cookies are perfect for freezing! Store the fully baked and cooled cookies in layers separated by parchment paper in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
How to Serve After Freezing: Allow the cookies to thaw on the countertop for 1 to 2 hours after being frozen before serving.
More Vegan Cookies
I just know you are gonna love these cookies! They are so soft, thick, chewy, and the best combination of a brownie and cookie. One final tip: Eat them with a napkin or over the sink because they are messy with the powdered sugar! Enjoy!
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Equipment
- measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Mixing spoons
- Cookie scoop
- parchment paper
- Cookie sheets
Ingredients
Crinkle Cookies
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons oil canola or other neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- â…“ cup plant based milk soy recommended but any will work
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Sugar for Rolling
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/170°C and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat. Make sure the oven rack is centered in the oven.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a small bowl, mix the flax seeds with the hot water and set aside. In a heat safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla, plant based milk, flax egg, and melted chocolate. Whisk until it is smooth and fully incorporated.
- Combine. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a spatula or a wooden spoon as this dough becomes very thick.
- Optional chill. If working on a hot day, or the dough is very very sticky, you can place the dough in the fridge to chill for 10 to 30 minutes.
- Scoop and roll. Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, make the cookie dough balls. Roll the dough ball in your hands to make it round, then roll first in the granulated sugar followed by the powdered sugar. Roll twice in each sugar for extra coverage. Place each cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat until no dough remains.
- Bake and Cool. Bake for about 14 minutes or until the cookies have set and have a firm bottom that does not move when you pick a cookie up. Let them cool for about 10 minutes on the cookie tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- How to StoreÂ
- Countertop: Store the fully baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container on the countertop for up to about a week.Â
- Freezer: These cookies are perfect for freezing! Store the fully baked and cooled cookies in layers separated by parchment paper in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.Â
- How to Serve After Freezing: Allow the cookies to thaw on the countertop for 1 to 2 hours after being frozen before serving.
- Variations
- Add even more chocolate! Add in a quarter cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter.Â
- Add oats! Add in a half cup of rolled oats. These are just like the cookies my mom used to bake for Christmas.Â
- Add nuts! Add in a half cup of chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds.Â
- Make them minty! Add in a few drops of peppermint extract to the dough for a minty twist.
