Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are so perfect for Christmas. The rich, fudgy chocolate cookies are topped with snowy caps of powdered sugar that cracks — or crinkles — when they bake which gives them a wintry, snow-capped look.
It appears that the recipe originated in the first half of the 20 century in the home of Helen Fredell of St. Paul, Minnesota. In the Betty Crocker "Cooky Carnival" (which features Molasses Crinkles), Ms. Crocker writes, "When served at Mrs. Fred Fredell's in St. Paul, Minnesota, they were so delicious I begged the recipe. Thanks to her, thousands of home have enjoyed these spicy cookies." Yes, yes we have.
That original Molasses Crinkle recipe calls for: sugar, shortening, egg, molasses, flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. And, it's pretty easy to see how we got from Molasses Crinkles to these with just a few tweaks. Swap the shortening for oil, the spices for (a lot more) cocoa, the molasses for vanilla, and roll them powdered sugar. I'm not sure who thought of that, but they were clearly a genius. You can also make red velvet, eggnog, or even gingerbread versions. Once you've got the hang of the basic recipe, your creative options are practically endless.
– You can make these chocolate cookies with brownie or cake mix, the recipe is so simple you don't need to. To make them successfully, first gather all of your ingredients. You'll need: sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, and salt. – Preheat your oven to 325°F. Some recipes suggest preheating your oven to 350°F, but I prefer the low and slow approach. (Or at least lower and slower.)
– If your cookie dough isn't rolling nicely, place the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes to stiffen it and remove some of the moisture. – Don't press down on the cookies - they will naturally flatten and spread out. As they do, the top will dry faster then the center and will create their classic crackled appearance.
– To keep the cookies chewy, place them in an airtight container with a small piece of bread. When you're ready to enjoy them, heat them in the oven at 425°F for 4 to 5 minutes. – For the best flavor, enjoy within three days of baking. – If you really want to up the chocolate factor, add a few handfuls of chocolate chips to the dough.