Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Dairy Free, Too!)

Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – These gorgeous gluten-free crinkle cookies are ultra-fudgy and absolutely delicious! Perfect for the holidays or your next chocolate craving. (Gluten-Free & Dairy Free)

Do you have a favorite childhood cookie?

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are Michael’s favorite. He grew up eating his mom’s (so good!), and they’re one of those recipes that make it really seem like the holidays for him. (My holiday childhood faves = my mom’s dipped ginger cookies and sweet sticky Chex mix!)

Every holiday season, we like to re-work one or two recipes from our pre-gluten free days so we can add them to our holiday traditions, and this year we perfected these gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies. If you’ve never had them before, chocolate crinkles are fudgy, brownie-like chocolate cookies rolled in powdered sugar and baked. When the cookies spread in the oven, they create this gorgeous “crackle” effect on the tops that not only looks impressive on a cookie plate or dessert tray but tastes amazing too.

These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies are based on our original recipe and have all the same soft, chocolatey goodness of the original. They’re a perfect addition to your holiday (or a great way to satisfy your next chocolate craving!). Here’s how easy they are to make…

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES:

Gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies only take 9 ingredients, and they’re all simple and straightforward. (Isn’t that just the best?!). Ours are made from…

• GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR. These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies are based on our original recipe. I LOVE that they’re easily converted to gluten-free cookies thanks to a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Our favorites are this one and this one.
• UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER. The ultra chocolatey-brownie flavor comes from plenty of unsweetened cocoa powder. You can use regular or dark cocoa powder (sometimes sold as Dutch-processed or alkalized cocoa powder). You can also mix them!
• SUGAR. I almost always use unrefined sweeteners in my dessert recipes, but sometimes a special occasion calls for the white stuff! I like this organic cane sugar.
• AVOCADO OIL. I use a neutral oil, like avocado oil, as the fat for these cookies. You get that decadent brownie texture without any added flavor (like you get from olive or coconut oils). You can substitute another neutral-tasting oil, if you prefer.
• EGGS + VANILLA. We round out the wet ingredients with eggs and vanilla. I love that the eggs give them a deeply fudgy texture and just enough puff, while the vanilla really plays up the chocolate. (See the next section for other fun flavor twists you can try!)
• BAKING POWDER + SALT. lastly, the baking powder helps the cookies rise, while the salt keeps these from being too sweet.
• POWDERED SUGAR. What makes these gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies extra special is the powdered sugar “crackle” effect they get when baked. You’ll roll the chocolate cookie dough balls in a bit of powdered sugar and during the baking, they’ll spread and create that pretty crinkle effect you’re looking for.

ADD A FUN FLAVOR TWIST! TRY ONE OF THESE SPINS ON CRINKLE COOKIES:

For a change of pace, you can add a little extra flavor to these chocolate crinkle cookies. It’s a great way to add a special little twist.

• PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES. Add 1/2-1 tsp. peppermint extract (depending on how strong you like it!) along with the vanilla. It gives major candy cane/hot chocolate vibes that are PERFECT for the holidays.
• AMARETTO CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES. Add 1/2-1 tsp. almond extract along with the vanilla. We LOVE almond with chocolate, and this amaretto twist is really something special.
• OTHER OPTIONS. You could also play with orange zest or extract (start small!) for a chocolate-orange effect. Really, just think of anything that plays nice with chocolate!

FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR PERFECT CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES:

DON’T SKIP THIS IMPORTANT STEP! The chilling time might seem excessive but do. not. skip. this. step. Chilling the dough will help develop the flavor and texture, but it will also help your powdered sugar coating to really stand out. If you roll the dough when it’s not chilled, the powdered sugar will look more faded and absorb a bit into the cookies. They also won’t puff and spread the same way.

IF YOU’RE IN A RUSH… If you’re in a rush, you *can* roll the cookie dough into balls, place them on a plate or cookie sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat and pop them in the freezer for 30-40 minutes, or till they’re firm.

HOW TO GET THE PERFECT BAKE. One REALLY important tip is to pull these out of the oven *before* they seem done. The centers should still look a little wet/gooey, while the edges are just set. That way, as they cool on the pan, the residual heat will set the centers and you’ll still have the soft, brownie-like texture you’re looking for.

I’M NOT GLUTEN FREE. CAN I MAKE THESE WITH REGULAR FLOUR? Yes! I recommend baking a test batch with just 1-2 cookies to see how they spread (everyone’s oven is different). If your cookies spread more than you’d like, just add a few tablespoons (1-2 more flour) and try again.

CAN I USE ALMOND FLOUR OR COCONUT FLOUR INSTEAD? Not for this recipe. You’d need to adjust the amounts of other ingredients and liquids to get the ratios right.

LOVE CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES? YOU’D PROBABLY LOVE…

• The BEST Gluten-Free Brownies
• Paleo Ginger Cookies
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
• Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Our Favorite Baking Supplies

HELPFUL FOR THIS RECIPE:

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