Irresistible Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Here is my favorite chocolate crinkle cookie recipe, with a rich cocoa base that gets rolled in powdered sugar and baked until crackled, then topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting.

These cookies are what my kids ask for every Christmas, but honestly, I make them year-round now because they disappear so fast. The contrast between the crispy powdered sugar coating and the fudgy center is just perfect, and that tangy cream cheese frosting on top takes them to another level.

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What Kind of Cocoa Powder Should I Use?

For chocolate crinkle cookies, you can use either natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder, though each will give you slightly different results. Natural cocoa powder has a lighter color and more acidic taste, which works well with the baking powder in this recipe, while Dutch-processed cocoa is darker and has a smoother, more mellow chocolate flavor. If you’re going for those classic dark, crackly cookies with a deep chocolate taste, Dutch-processed is your best bet. Whichever you choose, make sure your cocoa powder is fresh and hasn’t been sitting in your pantry for years, as old cocoa can taste stale and won’t give you that rich chocolate flavor you’re looking for.

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Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Vegetable oil: You can swap this with melted coconut oil or canola oil. Melted butter works too, but it’ll make the cookies spread a bit more, so chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling.
• Brown sugar: If you’re out of brown sugar, mix 1/3 cup white sugar with 1 teaspoon of molasses. Or just use all white sugar – the cookies will be slightly less chewy but still tasty.
• Cocoa powder: Dutch-process or natural cocoa both work here. Just stick with unsweetened cocoa powder, not hot chocolate mix.
• All purpose cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream makes a good substitute. You can also use half-and-half, though the frosting might be slightly less thick.
• Cream cheese: Make sure to use full-fat cream cheese for the best texture in your frosting. Low-fat versions tend to make the frosting runny and harder to work with.
• Powdered sugar for rolling: This is pretty essential for that classic crinkle look, so I’d recommend keeping it. The powdered sugar creates those signature white cracks against the dark chocolate cookie.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with chocolate crinkle cookies is skipping the chilling step – the dough needs at least 2 hours in the fridge (or 30 minutes in the freezer) so it’s firm enough to roll without sticking to your hands and holds its shape while baking.

Rolling the dough balls too small will give you crispy cookies instead of the soft, chewy texture you want, so aim for about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie.

When coating in powdered sugar, make sure to use enough and roll generously – a light dusting won’t give you those classic crinkle cracks, and the sugar will just disappear into the cookie.

For the cream cheese frosting, bring the cream cheese to room temperature before mixing, otherwise you’ll end up with lumps no matter how long you beat it, and if your frosting seems too thin, pop it in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up before spreading.

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What to Serve With Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?

These chocolate crinkle cookies are perfect with a cold glass of milk – seriously, you’ll want to have a full glass ready because the rich chocolate flavor just begs to be dunked. If you’re serving them at a party or gathering, they pair really well with hot coffee or even a creamy hot chocolate for an extra indulgent treat. The cream cheese frosting makes these cookies pretty rich on their own, so I like to balance them out with some fresh berries like strawberries or raspberries on the side. You could also serve them alongside vanilla ice cream for a simple dessert that feels a bit more special, or just enjoy them straight from the cooling rack with your favorite warm beverage.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your frosted chocolate crinkle cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days since they have cream cheese frosting. If you’re storing unfrosted cookies, they can sit at room temperature in a sealed container for about a week and stay perfectly chewy.

Freeze: These cookies freeze really well! I like to freeze them unfrosted in a freezer bag with parchment paper between layers for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the baked and frosted cookies, just make sure the frosting is set first before stacking them.

Serve: If you froze unfrosted cookies, just thaw them at room temperature for about 30 minutes before adding the frosting. Frosted cookies from the freezer taste great after sitting out for 15-20 minutes, or you can enjoy them straight from the fridge if you like them cold and firm.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3100-3400
• Protein: 28-34 g
• Fat: 110-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 490-540 g

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, for rich chocolate flavor)
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (King Arthur all-purpose flour for consistent results)
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla extract for best flavor)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or any neutral oil like canola)

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 1/2 cup cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1 packet all-purpose cream (heavy whipping cream works best)

Step 1: Prepare Dry Ingredients and Mix Cookie Dough

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt into a large bowl to remove lumps and aerate the dry ingredients—this creates a lighter, more tender cookie.

Stir in both the white sugar and packed brown sugar until evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just smooth, being careful not to overmix.

The dough will be thick and fudgy.

Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow the dough to firm up, which makes it easier to shape into balls.

Step 2: Shape and Prepare Cookies for Baking

• cookie dough from Step 1
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Once the dough has chilled, scoop and roll it into 24 equal balls about the size of walnuts—I like to use a cookie scoop for consistency, which ensures even baking.

Pour the 1 cup of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl and roll each ball generously in the sugar until completely coated.

This creates the signature crinkled appearance as the cookies bake and crack.

Arrange the coated balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.

Step 3: Bake the Cookies

• prepared cookies from Step 2

Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are set but still slightly soft in the center—they’ll continue to set as they cool.

The tops should appear cracked and the edges firm.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I find that slightly underbaking them keeps the interior fudgy and tender, which pairs beautifully with the frosting.

Step 4: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 packet all-purpose cream

Using an electric mixer, whip the softened cream cheese for about 1-2 minutes until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

In a small bowl, sift the 2 cups of powdered sugar to remove any lumps—this prevents grittiness in the frosting.

Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the cream cheese while mixing on medium speed.

Pour in the heavy whipping cream and continue whipping on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.

Stop occasionally to scrape the bowl and ensure even mixing.

Step 5: Assemble and Chill the Sandwich Cookies

• cooled cookies from Step 3
• cream cheese frosting from Step 4

Pair up the cooled cookies by size, selecting similar-sized cookies for each sandwich.

Spoon or pipe a generous dollop of the frosting from Step 4 onto the flat side of one cookie, then gently press another cookie flat-side down on top to create a sandwich.

Place the assembled cookies on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set the frosting and make them easier to handle.

This also firms up the frosting slightly, making for a more pleasant texture contrast with the soft cookie.

Irresistible Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Delicious Irresistible Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 42 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3250 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the cookies:

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, for rich chocolate flavor)
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (King Arthur all-purpose flour for consistent results)
• 2 large eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla extract for best flavor)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (or any neutral oil like canola)

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 1/2 cup cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 2 cups powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1 packet all-purpose cream (heavy whipping cream works best)

Instructions

 

• Sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt into a large bowl to remove lumps and aerate the dry ingredients—this creates a lighter, more tender cookie. Stir in both the white sugar and packed brown sugar until evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just smooth, being careful not to overmix. The dough will be thick and fudgy. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow the dough to firm up, which makes it easier to shape into balls.
• Once the dough has chilled, scoop and roll it into 24 equal balls about the size of walnuts—I like to use a cookie scoop for consistency, which ensures even baking. Pour the 1 cup of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl and roll each ball generously in the sugar until completely coated. This creates the signature crinkled appearance as the cookies bake and crack. Arrange the coated balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are set but still slightly soft in the center—they'll continue to set as they cool. The tops should appear cracked and the edges firm. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. I find that slightly underbaking them keeps the interior fudgy and tender, which pairs beautifully with the frosting.
• Using an electric mixer, whip the softened cream cheese for about 1-2 minutes until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. In a small bowl, sift the 2 cups of powdered sugar to remove any lumps—this prevents grittiness in the frosting. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar to the cream cheese while mixing on medium speed. Pour in the heavy whipping cream and continue whipping on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable. Stop occasionally to scrape the bowl and ensure even mixing.
• Pair up the cooled cookies by size, selecting similar-sized cookies for each sandwich. Spoon or pipe a generous dollop of the frosting from Step 4 onto the flat side of one cookie, then gently press another cookie flat-side down on top to create a sandwich. Place the assembled cookies on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 15 minutes to set the frosting and make them easier to handle. This also firms up the frosting slightly, making for a more pleasant texture contrast with the soft cookie.