Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Dairy Free, Too!)
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These gorgeous gluten-free chocolate 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…
Ingredients For Gluten-Free 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.
A Few Notes On The Powdered Sugar:
You won’t use all of the powdered sugar for these gluten-free crinkle cookies. It’s just MUCH easier to roll them if you have plenty of powdered sugar in the bowl.
Additionally, I recommend fluffing the sugar with a fork every few cookies, since it can become compact when you roll the dough in the sugar. You want a really good coating in order to get that lovely crackled, crinkled effect when the cookies bake.
Add A Yummy Flavor Twist! Try One Of These Spins On Gluten-Free 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 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! You could also add some chocolate chips for a non-traditional but delightful twist.
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free 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? No. Not for this recipe. You’d need to adjust the amounts of other ingredients and liquids to get the ratios right. Almond flour will make them too moist & fall apart, while coconut flour will turn them into a dry, crumbly mess. This gluten-free crinkle cookies recipe works best with a gluten-free measure-for-measure flour with xanthan gum.
What’s The Best Way To Freeze Chocolate Crinkle Cookies?
Since they have a rather delicate appearance, you’ll want to handle them carefully. I recommmend freezing the gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies in a single layer when possible. If you do need to stack them, separate each layer with parchment paper or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking together and to help preserve their pretty appearance.
A freezer-safe box or container can work better than a bag, since the cookies will get bumped and jostled less.
Once frozen, chocolate crinkle cookies will keep in the freezer about 6 weeks. (But I can never make mine last that long–they’re too yummy!)
When you’re ready to eat them, just thaw the cookies at room temperature or transfer to the refrigerator.
HELPFUL TOOLS & INGREDIENTS FOR THIS CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIE RECIPE:
Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Dairy Free, Too!)
- Total Time: 40 minutes + chill time
- Yield: About 4 dozen cookies. 1x
Description
This gorgeous gluten free chocolate crinkle cookies are fudgy and absolutely delicious! Perfect for the holidays or your next chocolate craving.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup avocado oil (can sub another neutral-tasting oil)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (dark or regular)
- 1 1/2 cups cane sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 3/4 cup gluten free measure-for-measure flour *
- about 1 cup powdered sugar**
Instructions
- In a large bowl (or a stand mixer), combine oil, cocoa powder, and sugar. Stir until well-combined. (It’ll look like very dark wet sand).
- Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing in-between each addition to incorporate well.
- Add vanilla and stir to combine.
- Add salt, baking powder, and gluten free flour. Stir until just combined.
- Chill the dough 3-4 hours (or overnight).
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and place powdered sugar in a bowl.
- Use a scoop or a tablespoon to roll out 1″ balls of chilled dough.
- Roll each cookie dough ball in powdered sugar to coat well.
- Place 8-12 coated cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for 6-7 minutes, or until just the edges are set and the centers are still wet.
- Allow the cookies to cool 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet to allow them to continue to set, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Repeat with remaining dough until all the cookies are baked.
Notes
*Our favorites for this recipe are King Arthur Flour Measure-for-Measure gluten free flour and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.
**You won’t use all the powdered sugar for this recipe. You’ll need about 1/3-1/2 cup total to coat the cookies, but it’s MUCH easier to coat them if you measure out a full cup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes + 3 hours chill time
- Cook Time: 6-8 min
- Category: Cookies, Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Made this recipe with coconut sugar instead of cane, however the dough came out very batter like and sticky. I ended up having to add more flour in order to handle it. Somehow, after all my tweaks they came out great!
Phew! I’m glad you were able to make it work!
how come its dairy free if you use eegs?
Eggs are dairy-free! While they’re often sold near dairy products in the grocery store, eggs themselves contain no dairy.
Thank you for making GF version of these. Do you have any suggestions for a good substitution for eggs (allergies).
Hi! I haven’t made them egg free, but you can try flax eggs or a powdered egg substitute! (Powdered egg substitute will have the smoothest texture)
Made these and they are SO! GOOD! Fluffy and dark chocolatey and gooey if you undercook them just a little bit. I used a regular stand mixer instead of hand mixing and also whisked my dry ingredients beforehand to make sure they were evenly incorporated. Great recipe, thank you!
WOW! These are AMAZING. I thought I was eating a brownie. the texture and taste and perfect. Easy to make.
Riiiiiight!? Brownie texture forever!
My powdered sugar is melting and completely disappearing, what am I doing wrong? I followed the cook time and temperature instructions exactly and I completely coated the cookies in powdered sugar.
Hi, Melanie! A few things to check:
1. Did you chill the dough for the full time? If not, the dough can absorb the powdered sugar. Nice, cold dough works best.
2. Are you at high altitude or baking in high humidity? Those things can impact the bake.
3. Another trick you can try is rolling the dough balls in REGULAR sugar first, then rolling in powdered sugar. The regular sugar can sometimes help powdered sugar stick!
These were more fudgy than my regular flour recipe. My husband actually preferred these. Super yummy!
I made these 3 different times this holiday season. They are awesome! Thank you so much for this recipe!!! It’s a keeper for me and my family!
Perfection! I followed the recipe – did not change anything. These were SO delicious! They also crinkled beautifully (sometimes that doesn’t happen in GF crinkles). This will be my go-to recipe :o) Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you loved them Holly! They’re a family favorite for us!
No one could tell they were gluten free. Perfect for my daughter! Nice to have a new cookie to share.
YAY! I’m so glad to hear that!