Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Name: Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 140 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons ground chia seed ( - mixed with 9 tablespoons water); 4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate ( - melted and cooked); 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil; 2 cups Organic granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract; 3 cups All-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons Baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon Salt; 1 cup Organic powdered sugar

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Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are soft brownie-like cookies. An easy rich chocolate cookies recipe where the cookie dough is rolled in powdered sugar before they're baked to give that 'crackled' look.

Closeup of chocolate crackled cookies piled on a white plate.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies have gone vegan with the simplicity of using an egg substitute. This is a classic recipe that goes way back to the early 20th century and was created in St. paul Minnesota.

Betty Crocker herself was actually served these and begged for the recipe. The story and recipe appears in 'Betty Crockers Cooky Carnival' cookbook.

Not only are these vegan chocolate crinkle cookies beautiful to look at, but they’re also the perfect combination of chocolatey taste and chewy texture.

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Ingredients
Bakers tips
Instructions
FAQ's
More Christmas treats you'll love
📋 Recipe

Ingredients

You can use any of your favorite egg substitutes but I prefer Ground chia seed. Flaxseed meal works really well too.
Unsweetened baking chocolate squares give that rich deep chocolate taste. Make sure it is unsweetened.
Extra virgin olive oil is my choice of oil or use a vegetable oil of your choice. You need to use oil for this recipe and not dairy-free butter.
Organic granulated sugar makes the chocolate perfectly sweet.
Ground chia seed helps the cookies be light and tasty.
Use Vanilla extract in a small quantity and the taste goes a long way.
All-purpose flour works best in this recipe.
Baking powder helps the cookies rise high and fat.
Salt enhances the flavor of the cookies.
Organic powdered sugar is for crackle coating.

A compote is stacked with a pile of vegan crinkle cookies and more in front.

Bakers tips

Use a couple of baking sheets and place the dough rounds on cool bakers sheets not hot ones. Hot ones will make the cookies spread out too much.
Measure your flour correctly. Fluff your flour with a spoon and then lightly drop it into a measuring cup. level off the top with the back of a knife.
Use parchment paper or a silicone mat as it makes removing the cookies from the sheets much easier.
Don't skip the chilling. It is very important as the cookies will be too sticky to handle and the cookies won't rise as high if the dough is warm.

Instructions

Mix the ground chia seed with it's water and set aside.
Place chocolate in microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir and continue heating at 10-second intervals stirring in between until the chocolate is melted.
Don't burn it. It's best to take it out early and let the final bits of chocolate melt in it's own heat.
Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar and melted chocolate.

Two process photos showing mixing the chocolate with oil and sugar.

Add the prepared chia seed eggs and vanilla and beat well.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Two process photos showing the wet ingredients being mixed together.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet until all of the ingredients are well combined.
Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
Place in the refrigerator for several hours to overnight. This is a great way to break up the work.

Two process photos showing mixing all of the final ingredients together and rolling in sugar.

Remove from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350° F.
Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mats.
Place powdered sugar in a small bowl.
Roll dough into balls and roll in the powdered sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets and DO NOT flatten.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let set on the baking sheets 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and then store in an airtight container.

FAQ's

What is baking chocolate?

Traditionally baking chocolate is unsweetened. It's used in recipes that have enough sweeteners to bring it from its bitter taste to a deep rich chocolate flavor. It will say baking chocolate on the package.

Can you sub dairy-free butter for the oil?

No, the cookies won't come out near as good and are drier. Stick to olive oil for the best results.

Do you have to use an electric mixer?

No! You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer but believe me they have been made countless times by hand.

Does the dough have to be chilled?

Yes, it does. To start with the dough is too sticky to roll up. Secondly, the cookies will only get nice and tall and fat if the dough is chilled when slid into the oven.

Can you make these cookies ahead of time?

Yes, that will work really well. The best way is to chill the dough, roll the balls, and then keep them in the refrigerator or freezer. It will keep in the fridge for 4 days or the freezer for three months.

How do I handle the dough after being frozen?

Let thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. Then roll in the powdered sugar and bake a usual but you may need to cook a couple of minutes longer.

A pile of snow crackled cookies on a white compote with text above.

More Christmas treats you'll love

Most importantly - Homemade Peppermint Patties!
Spice Rum Balls are super simple and super tasty.
Another quick no-bake recipe are these Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls.
Don't forget the Kahlua whether it's this Homemade Kahlua recipe or these Kahlua Truffles.

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Wide photo of a pile of baked crinkle cookies on a white plate.

📋 Recipe