Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (2024)

FAQs

What makes a cookie crinkle? ›

The part that makes this a 'crinkle' cookie is the generous coating of powdered sugar that the cookie dough ball gets before going into the oven. As it bakes and spreads on the baking sheet, cracks develop and are exposed, giving the perfect crackle cookie.

One of the most common causes of cookie spread is that the fat is too warm. Make sure to chill your dough thoroughly if the recipe calls for it. If you're forming dough balls and the dough is too sticky to work with, this is a sign that your dough may be too warm.

The most likely reason that the cookies are not moist is that they've been overbaked. With cookies, overbaking by only a few minutes can be the difference between a perfect cookie and a dry, crumbly one. Another reason could be that they haven't been stored in an airtight container.

What is the shelf life of crinkles? Chocolate Crinkle Cookies will last about five days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Refrigerate them for up to 2 weeks if you want to keep them longer. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months to preserve their quality.

They're cake-like cookies made with unsweetened cocoa powder, vegetable oil, and a handful of other pantry staple ingredients. Before baking, the cookies are coated in confectioners' sugar. When they bake up, they end up with a cracked (or "crinkled") effect.

Coating the cookies with either type of sugar draws out moisture from their surface, promoting cracks by drying out their tops before the interiors set.

Baking chocolate crinkle cookies is a process that requires precision. Over-baking will result in dry and hard biscuits, under-baking will result in biscuits that are too sticky. Use a timer and bake them for exactly the time the recipe says.

Place a slice of bread on top of the cookies and cover the plate with plastic wrap. The moisture from the bread will be absorbed by the cookies and soften them. Reheat the cookies in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Be careful not to overheat them, as this can cause them to become even more dry and hard.

Storing Tips to Keep Cookies Soft

Store cool cookies in an airtight container (not a cookie jar with a loose lid) at room temperature. Putting cookies, cakes or breads in the refrigerator will dry them out.

Crinkle cookies have been around since the early 1950s and were initially made with chocolate. Helen Fredell invented crinkle cookies in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Does crinkle cookie dough need to be refrigerated? ›

Storage: store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days (if they last that long!). Make ahead: the cookie dough can be made, covered and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow it to soften a little before rolling the dough into cookie balls.

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Unlike standard wrinkles, which occur when your skin's natural collagen and elastin production slows down, crinkles are caused by dehydration.

For this to happen, you need to dry the surface of the cookie by coating them in sugar, use sufficient leavening for the cookie to rise, and bake in a hot oven. Issues with cracking usually derive from the sugar coating, not enough or expired baking powder or baking soda, or the oven temperature isn't hot enough.

Crispy cookies are actually easier to make. Soft cookies have a water concentration of 6% or higher – moisture being the variable in texture. To make cookies crispy, add less liquid or bake it in the oven for longer to dry out the dough. Generally bake around 13-15min at 180C for a crispy cookie.