Ingredients & Substitutions
- Unsalted Butter – Starting with unsalted butter and adding salt to taste ensures consistent results every time. If possible, use European-style butter which has a higher fat content and yields extra tender results.
- Dark Chocolate & Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – A double-whammy of chocolate ensures the fudgy flavor permeates every bite. If possible, opt for 70% or higher chocolate and use Dutch-processed cocoa for the richest chocolate flavor.
- Large Eggs – If you’re using a different size of eggs, remember that 1 large egg = ¼ cup.
- Vanilla Extract – Just a hint of vanilla adds depth and warmth. You’re welcome to use an equal amount of vanilla paste or powder.
- Granulated Sugar – White sugar has less moisture and a less acidic pH than brown sugar, which is what we need for that crackly exterior. You can use an equal amount of superfine/caster sugar or pure cane sugar if you prefer.
- All-Purpose Flour, Salt & Baking Powder – Feel free to swap in self-rising flour, which already has salt and baking powder added.
- Powdered Sugar – The secret to creating crinkle cookies’ signature crackly exterior. If you don’t have any on hand, blitz 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or potato starch until soft and fluffy.
- Instant Coffee – Optional, but excellent for drawing out even more of that deep, dark chocolate flavor.
This is just a short review of the ingredients; for the complete recipe, including quantities, scroll down to the recipe card 👇
Bar Chocolate vs. Chocolate Chips: Which Should I Use?
When it comes to making this recipe for chocolate crinkle cookies, you can use either bar chocolate or chocolate chips and yield excellent results. That said, if you want bakery-level results, reach for a good bar of dark chocolate and chop it yourself. Here’s why:
Bar chocolate tends to melt more smoothly and evenly, making it the better choice if you want an ultra-rich, fudgy texture. It usually contains more cocoa butter and fewer stabilizers, which helps create a glossy, melt-in-your-mouth crinkle cookie consistency. That said, you’ll need to do a bit of chopping to help ensure it melts evenly.
Chocolate chips, on the other hand, are formulated to hold their shape when heated, which means they won’t melt as seamlessly into the dough. They’re convenient and easy to use, but they can produce a slightly thicker batter and a less silky texture.
Whichever you choose, pay attention to the chocolate percentage, which tells you how much of the chocolate is cocoa solids. For deeper, more complex flavor, go for something in the 60-80% range. Lower percentages (like 10-30% milk chocolate or 35-55% semi-sweet chocolate) will make your cookies sweeter and milder, while higher percentages add greater intensity.
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