Description
Chewy, chocolate-y, homemade red velvet crinkle cookies. These festive Christmas cookies are thick and fudgy with sugar-dusted, dramatic cracks on top. Perfect for holiday baking, cookie swaps, and gifting. No chill time or mixer required.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate (70%-85%), chopped
- 4 Tbsp (57g) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- 1–1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (20g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1–1/2 cups (300g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp (5g) pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp red gel food coloring ¹
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, for rolling
- 1/2 cup (100g) confectioners (powdered) sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in either a double-boiler over gently simmering water, or in a heat-proof glass bowl in the microwave. If using a microwave, heat in bursts of 30 seconds on medium power, stirring well and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula after each increment, until completely smooth and glossy. Set aside
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.
- In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs until well-combined.
- Add the brown sugar, vanilla, and food coloring,¹ and continue whisking until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the melted chocolate, and mix until smooth.
- Switch to a spatula, and fold in the flour mixture until just combined and no dry streaks remain. The dough will be thick and sticky.
- Let the batter sit for 10 minutes at room-temperature.
- Meanwhile, place the granulated and powdered sugars in two separate, shallow bowls.
- Use a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop (I used a #26) to scoop the dough into equal portions. Roll gently between your hands to form round balls. If the dough is too sticky, scoop it directly into the granulated sugar, about 4 at a time, and use the sugar to keep your fingers from sticking and to help form the balls.
- Roll each ball in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar, being sure to coat completely in each.
- Place on your prepared sheet pans, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake each sheet individually on the center oven rack for 11-13 minutes, until the cookies are gently puffed, the edges look set, and the tops are crackled.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to cool completely. Enjoy!!
Notes
- ¹ I used AmeriColor soft gel paste food coloring in “Super Red.” You may need to experiment a bit with the right amount of food coloring to get the cookies as red as you would like.
- Note: this dough is sticky and a little soft. I like to use food-service gloves when I’m scooping and rolling the dough to keep my hands cleaner and from sticking as much.