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I can’t get enough of these homemade gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies! They have a delicious fudgy center, delicate powdered sugar topping, and perfectly chewy texture. My family couldn’t believe they were gluten-free when I told them! I’ll be making these easy cookies on repeat over the holiday season, but who says you can’t enjoy them all year round?!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies are everything I love about our gluten-free brownies but made into a festive, ‘snow-covered’ cookie! I use cocoa powder and chocolate chips to get an intense chocolate flavor, then roll the dough in powdered sugar before baking for that classic crinkle cookie look. Use your favorite gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum, and make sure your cocoa powder is suitable for gluten-free baking!
You can see just how easy it is to bake a batch of these cookies by following the simple step-by-step instructions and detailed recipe step photos below.
Ingredients
- Butter: Unsalted butter adds richness and texture.
- Granulated sugar: The main sweetener.
- Eggs: The primary binding agent that brings together the cookie dough.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavors of the cookie.
- Cocoa Powder: Adds the chocolate flavor and deep brown color.
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour with Xanthan Gum: The main gluten-free base. Use your favorite gluten-free baking flour, but make sure it includes xanthan gum.
- Baking Soda: Gives the cookies a nice chewiness.
- Baking Powder: Keeps the cookies light and fluffy.
- Salt: For taste.
- Chocolate Chips: Adds more chocolate flavor and texture.
- Powdered Sugar: Creates the snow-covered look.
Tips and Suggestions
- If you don’t want to roll the cookies in powdered sugar, you can add a gluten-free frosting or sprinkles. Just note that you won’t get the snow-covered look that crinkle cookies are known for.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Since the chocolate color makes it hard to see the golden-brown edges, be sure to pay attention to the baking time.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking rack first before moving them or else they’ll break apart.
Can I Use a Different Type of Chocolate Chip?
Yes, you can easily change the type of chocolate chips. White chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, and mint chocolate chips would all taste great!
Why Didn’t My Crinkle Cookies Crack?
The crinkle effect happens when the cookie dough expands and spreads in the oven, causing the powdered sugar coating to crack and reveal the chocolate underneath.
If your cookies didn’t crack, check your baking powder and baking soda to make sure they’re in date and not expired. If they’re old, they may not provide enough leavening power to create the crinkle effect. Also, double-check your oven temperature! If your oven is too cool, the cookies won’t spread enough to crack.
How to Store
More than likely, you’ll have leftovers of these delicious gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies. The best way to store them is in an airtight container. Let your cookies cool before adding a layer of parchment paper between each cookie so they don’t stick together. You can keep them at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week.
More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie Recipes To Try!
- Gluten-Free Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cookies
- Gluten-Free Snowball Cookies
- Gluten-Free Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Gluten-Free Molasses Cookies
Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup cocoa powder, plus 1 Tbsp
- 1⅛ cup gluten-free all-purpose baking flour with xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat together for 1 minute.
- Add the eggs and pure vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add the cocoa powder, gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined. Be sure to spoon and level the flour and cocoa.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Place the dough in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
- Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small dish, whisk together the powdered sugar and white sugar.
- Scoop the dough into 1 ½-inch balls and roll in the sugar.
- Place on the baking sheet with enough space in between each for spreading.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Be careful not to overbake the cookies. Keep an eye on the bake times, as you cannot rely on the color of the cookies to determine if they’re done.
- To store: Place them in an airtight container. Be sure to let the cookies cool down all the way before storage. Add a layer of parchment paper between stacks of cookies so that they don’t stick together while being stored.
- Mama says, “Make sure to always check your labels!”
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Step-by-Step
In a mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup butter and 1 cup sugar and beat together for 1 minute.
Add 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Add ½ cup cocoa powder, 1⅛ cup gluten-free flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt and mix until combined. Be sure to spoon and level the flour and cocoa.
Fold in ½ cup chocolate chips. Place the dough in the fridge for 2 hours to set.
Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small dish, whisk together ½ cup powdered sugar and ¼ cup white sugar. Scoop the dough into 1 ½-inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place on the baking sheet with enough space in between each for spreading.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Can you make them dairy free and still have them turn out by using something like Country Crock or Earth Balance?
Hi Lynne, it should work!
Too good! I made these, remembering those of the past I’d eaten, and was totally excited that my memory was in harmony with your recipe. They were so good I ate them all and had to make another batch…which I promptly rolled into balls and stuck in the freezer for those days when one needs cookies in a hurry for company…or because it’s the only thing I will be happy with. Perfect recipe.
Accidentally ended up making 1.5 times the recipe and kind of winging it, but still turned out great! Used King Arthur’s GF flour and, again accidentally, mini chocolate chips, which I ended up liking. I also used silicone baking mats instead of parchment and they worked just fine. My (non-gluten-free) kids loved them!
This are the best version of Chocolate Crinkle Cookies I have ever tasted. I made them low carb with a special flour by Victoria’s Keto Kitchen. I am gonna go check out some more of your recipes. Thank you so much!!!
Texture, flavor, and appearance are great!
I used Cup 4 Cup gf flour blend and these turned out better then when I had them as a kid. Crispy in the outside, chewy on the inside. Perfection!
does the gluten free flour have to have xanthan gum in it?
Hi Joan! If you can’t find gluten-free flour with xantham gum in it, you can just add 1/3 teaspoon of xantham gum to your gluten-free flour.