Holiday Crinkle Cookies

Author Notes

This holiday cookie recipe is easy, delicious, cute, and crinkly. —Regan Baroni

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe is everything you want in a classic crinkle: Slightly crunchy on the outside, tender and chewy in the middle, and intensely chocolatey. But how do they get this way? Let's dive in.

Cocoa powder gives these cookies a deep chocolate flavor without adding too much moisture, which would result in a too-cakey consistency. All-purpose flour, vegetable oil, plus a whopping four eggs give the dough a tender structure while also ensuring they aren't too sticky or dense; they also give these cookies some serious staying power (just try them on day two or three—if they last that long—and you'll see how tasty and moist they continue to be!).

And a just-the-right amount of baking powder allows the cookies to puff up to glory, while also letting them spread out—which is just what you want in a crinkle cookie, to create all of those beautiful cracks and crevices that give the sweet treat its distinctive shape.

Speaking of spreading: While chilled dough is usually a great thing in a cookie, cold temps discourage spreading, which is the opposite of what we want here. So if you decide to make these in advance and refrigerate or freeze them, bring them out a bit in advance to thaw and come to room temperature before you bake them off.

If you like mix-ins, try them out here in a modest quantity (no more than 1/2 cup): Finely chopped nuts, candied ginger or orange peel, mini chocolate chips would all be welcome here. Or try sprinkling the tops with flaky sea salt or finely crushed peppermint candies. —Brinda Ayer

"These holiday crinkle cookies are old-school (in a good way). As my kitchen filled with the scent of baking chocolate, I remembered the cookies my grandmother used to make. Regan Baroni's recipe makes cookies with a slighty crisp edge and a fudgy middle. I refrigerated the dough overnight, resulting in perfect crinkles in the cookies. Beware the powdered sugar shower you get from each bite, a sign of a cookie well enjoyed!" —FrozenFoodie