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Chocolate Cherry Crinkle Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 112 reviews

Chocolate Cherry Crinkle Cookies are a festive holiday treat featuring a fudgy chocolate base swirled with cherry preserves or dried cherries. These visually stunning cookies have crackly, powdered sugar-coated tops and a soft, chewy center, perfect for celebrating the season. Combining rich dark chocolate and the bright tartness of cherries, they provide a perfect balance of flavors in each bite.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies:

  • ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 4 oz (113g) high-quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred)
  • 1 ¼ cups (156g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ cup (120g) cherry preserves (with fruit pieces) OR ¾ cup chopped dried cherries

For Coating:

  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Melt the Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the vegetable oil and chopped chocolate. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until the mixture is smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the cooled chocolate-oil mixture, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy. Sift in the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir gently with a spatula just until the dough has no dry streaks. Fold in the cherry preserves or dried cherries carefully to swirl through the dough without overmixing.
  3. Prep the Sugar Coatings: Pour granulated sugar into one shallow bowl and powdered sugar into another shallow bowl, setting up two coating stations.
  4. Shape & Coat: Using a small cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), scoop out dough balls. Roll each ball first in granulated sugar until fully coated, then roll in powdered sugar until completely covered, resembling a snowball.
  5. Bake: Place coated dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should look puffed and cracked on top but remain soft in the center. Avoid overbaking; they should feel slightly underdone when pressed in the center.
  6. Cool & Serve: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after baking, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. As they cool, the powdered sugar settles into the cracks, creating the iconic crinkle appearance.

Notes

  • Use high-quality chocolate (60–70% dark) for the best flavor and texture.
  • Ensure eggs are at room temperature to help batter emulsify smoothly.
  • Do not overmix after adding flour to avoid tough cookies.
  • Prefer cherry preserves over jam for texture, as preserves contain fruit pieces.
  • Rolling twice in sugar helps create the crackled appearance and ensures coating adherence.
  • Cool cookies completely before storing to prevent the powdered sugar from melting.
  • For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
  • To make vegan cookies, replace eggs with flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 5 tbsp water) and use dairy-free chocolate.
  • Cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; layer with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  • Baked cookies (without powdered sugar) can be frozen for up to 2 months; roll in sugar after thawing.
  • Optionally, add ½ tsp almond extract for a cherry-almond flavor or swap dark chocolate for white chocolate and use dried cherries for variation.

Keywords: Chocolate Cherry Crinkle Cookies, holiday cookies, chocolate cookies, cherry preserves, crinkle top cookies, fudgy cookies, festive dessert, easy holiday baking

Find it online: https://cookwithlea.com/chocolate-cherry-crinkle-cookies-recipe/