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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! 

A glass and gold serving tray is filled with the finished chocolate crinkle cookies. It is on a wood table with more cookies, greenery, and a gold ribbon with tiny twinkle lights.
A glass and gold plate on the table filled with vegan chocolate crinkle cookies. Powdered sugar crumbles off of the cookies making a delicious mess.

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. 

Ingredients for the chocolate crinkle cookies in many glass bowls and a dark blue plate all measured out and ready to bake. Black and white labels have been added to name each ingredient like "applesauce" and "chocolate chips".
Measured ingredients in various bowls and plates on the table ready to mix into cookies.
  • 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 

Instructions 

Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.

  1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. 
  1. 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. 
A glass bowl on a wood tabletop filled with the dry ingredients all whisked together.
The sifted dry ingredients mixed together in a glass bowl.
A glass bowl filled with the wet ingredients for the cookies is on a wood table. A green spatula is mixing it all together.
Glass bowl filled with the whisked wet ingredients.
  1. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Use a spatula because this dough gets really thick really quick! 
A glass bowl on a wood tabletop filled with the finished cookie dough batter. A green spatula is in the cookie dough.
Glass bowl filled with the finished cookie dough batter. It is super thick!
  1. 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. 
A baking tray with white parchment paper has the rolled crinkle cookies on it. Two small glass bowls are filled with sugar and cookie dough balls in the stages of being rolled. A small cookie scoop is on the tray as well.
Showing all the steps of scooping and rolling the cookies in sugar.

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! 

  1. 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. 

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. 
  • 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. 
Close up of the finished chocolate crinkle cookies on brown parchment paper with a small glass bowl of chocolate chips.
Closeup of all the baked chocolate crinkle cookies on parchment paper.

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. 

A stack of many chocolate crinkle cookies on a dark serving tray with more cookies next to it. Glass and gold trees and a ribbon with lights are blurred in the background.
A stack of vegan chocolate crinkle cookies on the table with a table scape behind it.

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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If you try these out, please leave a comment below! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, vegan friendly recipes you can subscribe to the newsletter. Did you make these? Please tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest! I love to see your creations!

A glass and gold serving tray is filled with the finished chocolate crinkle cookies. It is on a wood table with more cookies, greenery, and a gold ribbon with tiny twinkle lights.

Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (vegan)

Super soft, thick, chewy, and fudgy vegan chocolate crinkle cookies with double chocolate and made extra sweet with the powdered sugar.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time (Optional): 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Baked Goods
Keyword: cookies, holiday, vegan baking
Servings: 32 cookies
Calories: 98kcal

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
  • 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 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.
  • Variations
    • Add even more chocolate! Add in a quarter cup of mini chocolate chips to the batter. 
    • Add oats! Add in a half cup of rolled oats. These are just like the cookies my mom used to bake for Christmas. 
    • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 51mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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