Delicious Chocolate Crinkle Sprinkle Cookies

Here are my chocolate crinkle sprinkle cookies, with a rich cocoa flavor, a crackly powdered sugar coating, and rainbow sprinkles mixed right into the dough for extra fun.

These cookies are always a hit with my kids and their friends. The chocolate is deep and fudgy, and the sprinkles add a pop of color and a little crunch. I love making a double batch because they disappear so fast!

What Kind of Cocoa Powder Should I Use?

For chocolate crinkle cookies, you can use either natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder, and both will give you delicious results. Natural cocoa powder tends to have a more intense, slightly acidic chocolate flavor, while Dutch-process is smoother and mellower. If you’re looking for that classic deep chocolate taste with a nice crinkle effect, natural cocoa powder is a solid choice since it reacts well with the baking powder. Just make sure you’re using unsweetened cocoa powder and not hot chocolate mix, which contains sugar and won’t give you the right texture or flavor.

Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty straightforward, but here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• All-purpose flour: You can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if you need a gluten-free option. The texture might be slightly different, but they’ll still turn out great.
• Vegetable oil: Canola oil, melted coconut oil, or any neutral-flavored oil works just fine here. You can also use melted butter for a richer flavor, though the cookies may spread a bit more.
• Eggs: For an egg-free version, try using flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes) or commercial egg replacer following package directions.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Make sure to stick with unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe – sweetened cocoa or hot chocolate mix will throw off the sugar balance and affect the texture.
• Rainbow sprinkles: Use any color sprinkles you like, or swap them for chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or mini M&Ms. Just keep the amount around 1/2 cup so the cookie dough consistency stays right.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with chocolate crinkle cookies is skipping the chilling step – if you try to roll the dough when it’s too warm, it’ll stick to your hands and won’t hold its shape, so make sure to refrigerate it for at least 2 hours or until firm.

Another common error is rolling the dough balls too large, which prevents them from baking evenly and can leave you with cookies that are raw in the middle – stick to about 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie for the best results.

Don’t overbake these cookies just because they look soft in the oven, as they’ll continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet, and pulling them out when they still look slightly underdone will give you that perfect chewy texture.

Finally, add the sprinkles after rolling in powdered sugar (not before) so they actually stick to the outside and create that fun, colorful appearance everyone loves.

What to Serve With Chocolate Crinkle Sprinkle Cookies?

These cookies are perfect with a cold glass of milk – seriously, it’s the best way to enjoy them! I also love serving them alongside vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert that feels a bit more special, especially if you’re having people over. If you’re putting together a cookie platter for a party or bake sale, they look great next to sugar cookies, peanut butter cookies, or chocolate chip cookies since the rainbow sprinkles add such a fun pop of color. For a cozy afternoon snack, try pairing them with hot chocolate or coffee.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your chocolate crinkle sprinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. They’ll stay soft and chewy if you toss a slice of bread in the container with them – it’s an old baker’s trick that really works!

Freeze: These cookies freeze really well, either baked or as dough. For baked cookies, layer them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the dough balls before rolling them in powdered sugar, then bake them straight from frozen when a cookie craving hits.

Thaw: Frozen baked cookies will thaw at room temperature in about 30 minutes, or you can pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds if you want them warm. If you’re baking from frozen dough, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 1600-1750
• Protein: 20-24 g
• Fat: 55-65 g
• Carbohydrates: 255-275 g

Ingredients

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla for better flavor)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (neutral flavor works best, or canola)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (I use Wilton sprinkles for vibrant colors)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed for deeper chocolate flavor)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 3/4 cup sugar (granulated)

Step 1: Prepare Dry Ingredients and Chill Dough

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

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine cocoa powder, sugar, and vegetable oil, mixing until the cocoa is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand.

Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure they’re fully incorporated, then mix in vanilla extract.

Gently fold in the dry ingredient mixture until just combined—don’t overmix, as this keeps the cookies tender.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

I find that chilling the dough is essential here; it prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven and helps them develop those beautiful crinkles.

Step 2: Prepare Oven and Sprinkle Station

• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Pour the rainbow sprinkles into a shallow bowl and set it near your work station.

This setup ensures everything is ready when you start shaping the dough, so you won’t have cookies sitting out and warming up while you hunt for supplies.

Step 3: Shape and Coat Cookies

• dough from Step 1
• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and work quickly to prevent it from warming up too much.

Scoop out 1-inch balls of dough using a small cookie scoop or your hands, then immediately roll each ball in the sprinkles until fully coated on all sides.

The dough should be cold enough to hold its shape but still pliable—if it gets too warm, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Place the coated balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

I like to work in batches and keep the remaining dough in the fridge while I’m shaping, which prevents any spreading before baking.

Step 4: Bake and Cool

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes at 350°F, until the tops look set and slightly cracked but the centers are still soft—they should look slightly underbaked when you pull them out.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

The cookies will continue to set as they cool, creating that signature crinkly texture with a fudgy center.

Delicious Chocolate Crinkle Sprinkle Cookies

Delicious Delicious Chocolate Crinkle Sprinkle Cookies recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs 3 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs 8 minutes mins

Total Time 6 hours hrs 11 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 1675

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla for better flavor)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil (neutral flavor works best, or canola)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles (I use Wilton sprinkles for vibrant colors)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed for deeper chocolate flavor)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 3/4 cup sugar (granulated)

Method

 

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, combine cocoa powder, sugar, and vegetable oil, mixing until the cocoa is fully incorporated and the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure they're fully incorporated, then mix in vanilla extract. Gently fold in the dry ingredient mixture until just combined—don't overmix, as this keeps the cookies tender. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight). I find that chilling the dough is essential here; it prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven and helps them develop those beautiful crinkles.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the rainbow sprinkles into a shallow bowl and set it near your work station. This setup ensures everything is ready when you start shaping the dough, so you won't have cookies sitting out and warming up while you hunt for supplies.
3. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and work quickly to prevent it from warming up too much. Scoop out 1-inch balls of dough using a small cookie scoop or your hands, then immediately roll each ball in the sprinkles until fully coated on all sides. The dough should be cold enough to hold its shape but still pliable—if it gets too warm, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes. Place the coated balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. I like to work in batches and keep the remaining dough in the fridge while I'm shaping, which prevents any spreading before baking.
4. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes at 350°F, until the tops look set and slightly cracked but the centers are still soft—they should look slightly underbaked when you pull them out. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, creating that signature crinkly texture with a fudgy center.