Cracked chocolate cookies are so good, totally soft, and chewy. Plus this recipe is fast and easy to make and a chocolate fudge cookie any level cook can master. Dark cocoa powder gives these easy crinkle cookies plenty of dark fudge flavor everyone will love.
My grandmother and I used to each keep a binder full of recipes we picked up from here or there. When she passed away I was lucky to be given her binder. This recipe was inside and I am not sure how I missed it.
My family loves these cracked chocolate cookies and I love how easy they are to make. I serve the up around the holidays with my famous old-fashioned cinnamon rolls and they both disappear in minutes.
If you love this fudge cookie recipe, then I think you will also enjoy these fruity pebbles cookies and butter crunch cookies.
Cookies are an easy dessert to prepare throughout the year, not just at Christmas time. I love this collection of spring cookies and tasty summer cookies.
Dark Cocoa Powder Cookie Ingredients
Here is a snapshot of the easy ingredients you need to make this cracked chocolate fudge cookie recipe.
- butter
- brown sugar
- unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- eggs
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- icing or powdered sugar
Check the recipe card further down on the page for the exact amounts of each ingredient.
How to Make Crinkled Chocolate Fudge Cookies
Step 1: Melt the Butter
In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt your butter.
Step 2: Mix the Batter
Remove the melted butter from the heat and add your brown sugar and cocoa powder. Stir until totally blended together. Set aside until cool.
Once cool, add eggs and stir until combined. Then mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: Chill the Dough
Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour.
Step 4: Roll and Sugar the Cracked Chocolate Cookies
Place icing or powdered sugar into a shallow bowl. Remove dough from your refrigerator and roll into 1 ½ - 2 inch balls.
Roll each ball around in your icing or powdered sugar until coated.
Place the sugar-coated cookie balls directly onto a rimmed baking sheet, lightly coated in cooking spray, after rolling in powdered sugar.
Hint: If you can't fit a baking sheet into your fridge place your rolled cookie balls onto a plate, covered in parchment, to refrigerate. Then you can transfer them to the sheet pan right before cooking.
Repeat this process until all of your chocolate fudge cookies are totally coated in powdered sugar. Make sure they are totally covered. You cannot put on too much!
Step 5: Chill Again
Refrigerate them for another 30 minutes.
Step 6: Bake
When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cracked chocolate cookies start to crack around the edges.
Let them cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet and placing them on a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand? Or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this dark cocoa cookie recipe.
- Butter: Swap it out with butter-flavored coconut oil instead. Coconut oil mimics the solid and melted consistency of butter making it an excellent swap.
- Dark cocoa powder: The dark version of this powder gives cracked chocolate cookies a more intense fudge flavor but you can use regular cocoa powder too.
- Brown sugar: Swap it with regular granulated sugar however they may be a bit dryer. Or you can mix granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of molasses for an easy brown sugar substitute.
Variations
Want to personalize this cracked chocolate cookie recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Caramel: Stuff them with chocolate-covered caramel or regular caramel candy for a Caramel Chocolate Crinkle Cookie.
- Mint chocolate crinkle cookies - Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint flavor to the batter and mix it in. Or for a stuffed version stick an Andes mint inside the middle of the cookie ball for a stuffed version of the mint fudge cookie.
- Double chocolate: Add ½ cup dark chocolate chips to the batter just before sticking it in the refrigerator for the first chill.
- Peanut butter: Cut up a peanut butter into quarters or halves if using the mini size and add to the center of the dough ball encasing it with dough.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy these chewy chocolate cookies.
Equipment
All you need to make these cracked chocolate crinkle cookies are a few basic baking tools.
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Bowl for sugar
- Measuring cups and spoons
Storage
Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container once they are fully cooled for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Store cooled cookies in a freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Hint: Leftover chocolate fudge cookies may need an additional dusting of powdered sugar after sitting around for a bit.
Tips
Here are my top tips when making chocolate fudge cookies. Follow these for the best success.
- Don't skip refrigerating the dough. The chilled cookie dough is what gives chocolate fudge cookies their distinctive cracked surface.
- Preheat the oven. A hot oven means the cracked chocolate cookies start cooking right away and come out perfectly crinkled on top.
- Use dark cocoa powder for the best fudge flavor.
- Shape cookie balls into even sizes. You can use a spoon or cookie scoop if it makes it easier to divide up the dough evenly.
FAQ
Do you have questions about cracked chocolate cookies? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this recipe.
The butter adds so much to the chewy, fudgy consistency of these cookies. I don't recommend swapping it out with vegetable oil or other neutral oils as you won't get the same results. The one exception is coconut oil. Since it is both solid and liquid it will function more like butter though it does have a slightly different flavor. Nowadays you can use buttered flavored coconut oil in baking that will taste more like the real thing.
If they don't come out with the firm cracks it's either use the dough balls weren't refrigerated long enough or the oven wasn't at the right temperature.
No, I don't recommend storing them in the refrigerator. This will expose them to more moisture which may make the powdered sugar on the outside clump up or absorb into the cookies. For best results, store them in cool dry place on the counter inside an airtight container.
Cracked Chocolate Fudge Cookies Video
More Cookie Recipes
Cracked Chocolate Cookies
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Cracked Chocolate Fudge Cookies
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Bowl for sugar
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup icing or powdered sugar approximately
- ⅔ cup dark cocoa powder unsweetened
Instructions
- Gather the ingredients to make this recipe.
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt your butter.
- Remove from heat and add brown sugar and cocoa powder.
- Stir until totally blended together. Set aside until cool.
- Once cool, add eggs and stir until combined.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Refrigerate dough for at least an hour.
- Place icing or powdered sugar into a shallow bowl.
- Remove dough from your refrigerator and roll into 1 ½ - 2 inch balls.
- Roll each ball around in your icing or powdered sugar until coated and place on a prepared baking sheet pan.
- Repeat this process until all of your cookies are totally coated in powdered sugar. Make sure they are totally covered. You cannot put on too much!
- NOTE: The cookies need to go back into the refrigerator. If you can't fit a baking sheet into your fridge, place rolled cookie balls on a plate, covered in parchment, to refrigerate and then transfer them to the baking pan just before baking.
- Refrigerate your cookies for another 30 minutes.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove the refrigerated cookies and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies start to crack around edges.
- Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the baking sheet and placing on to a wire rack.
- Eat and enjoy!
Stacy Kelly
I thought they were going to turn out terrible since all I had was cacao powder instead of cocoa powder. And it turned out amazing. I'm a huge chocolate fan and despise dark chocolate but these cookies weren't bitter at all and weren't tooth rotting sweet they were perfect rich cookies that looked amazing. Thank you.
Karin and Ken
You’re most welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed them. I can’t stop eating them myself. Glad you agree. They are definitely the right amount of sweet! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. You made my day. All the best. Karin
Anonymous
These cookies are a family favourite but the when I printed the recipe it has vanilla extract in the ingredients list. Do I add vanilla extract ?
Karin and Ken
I can't than you enough for taking the time to comment. There is no vanilla to add and I am not sure why it's there! Thank you. Take care and enjoy these cookies! They're a personal favorite. Take care and all the best. Karin
Peter
Loved these cookies and will definitely make again. Thx
Karin and Ken
Thank you for taking the time to let me know! We love this recipe too! All the best. Karin
Anonymous
Do you refrigerate the dough or do you not need to at all?
Karin and Ken
I recommend chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes, if not an hour for best results. These cookies are delicious ad I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Take care and all the best. Karin
Kathy Johnson
Should you refrigerate dough before rolling into balls?
Karin and Ken
First I have to apologize for the delay in my response. We had a health scare with my husband, luckily he is ok, but I kind of forgot I had a website. Again I am truly sorry. That being said. You could refrigerate the dough for an hour before baking but I usually don’t bother. These cookies turn out so delicious every time I make them! Take care and be well. Karin
Delores
How many cookies does this re Ile make???
Karin and Ken
I apologize for my late response. This recipe makes about 24 cookies. This all depends on the size you make them. We will be doing a video for this recipe shortly and I will post an exact amount then. I apologize for not being able to give you an exact amount at this time. All I can tell you for sure is these cookies are delicious! I hope you give this recipe a try! Take care and all the best. Karin
Tara
How hot do you turn the oven? 350? 375? Can't wait to make them!
Karin and Ken
The temperature is 350 degrees! I apologize again. I am not sure what happened there but thank you for letting us know! I have updated our recipe on the site. Thanks again and happy holidays to you. These cookies are delicious. All the best. Karin
Katherine
What is the oven temperature?
Karin and Ken
Thank you so much for drawing my attention to this. I apologize for the error! The temperature is 350 degrees. They are delicious. I hope you try them. Take care and all the best. Thank you again for letting me know. Happy holidays! Karin
Vikki
Made these in Uganda today with my teenage son. Very easy and super yummy! They came out perfectly. Taste like fudgy brownies. Thanks for the recipe!
Karin and Ken
Awesome to hear! Thank you for letting me know! You made my day! Hopefully you find some other recipes on our site that you enjoy as well! Take care and all the best. Karin
Stacy Pohlman
Is the icing sugar just powdered sugar?
Karin and Ken
Yes it is! I apologize for not being clear in the directions. We think these cookies are delicious. If you are making them please let me know what you think. All the best. Karin
Karin and Ken
You're most welcome! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe as much as we do. All the best. Karin