Description
Deliciously soft and fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with a crackled powdered sugar coating. These buttery cocoa cookies have a hint of Grand Marnier for a subtle orange flavor, making them a festive and irresistible treat perfect for holidays or any occasion.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- 12 tablespoons butter, unsalted, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For Rolling Cookies In
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar or confectioners sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of your mixer, add the softened butter and granulated sugar. Mix until the ingredients are well combined and the mixture is creamy.
- Add Eggs and Grand Marnier: Add the eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition. Continue mixing until the batter is light and fluffy, then stir in the Grand Marnier for a subtle orange flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution.
- Mix Dry Ingredients Into Wet: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the mixer bowl containing the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight to firm up the dough.
- Prepare Rolling Sugars: Place the remaining granulated sugar and powdered sugar each into separate shallow plates or bowls, to be used for coating the cookie dough balls.
- Form and Roll Cookies: Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form the chilled dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar, ensuring each ball is fully coated in both sugars.
- Arrange Cookies on Sheets: Transfer the sugar-coated cookie balls to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 ½ inches apart to allow for spreading. Each sheet should fit roughly 12 cookies.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies have puffed and developed cracked tops. If baking two sheets simultaneously, rotate their positions halfway through the baking time to ensure even cooking.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential for the crackled effect and to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- If Grand Marnier is not available, you can substitute with another orange liqueur or omit it altogether for a more classic chocolate taste.
- For easier rolling, keep your hands cool or lightly dusted with powdered sugar to prevent dough from sticking.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 21g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
