These chocolate snowstorm cookies are so rich, soft, and fudgy. Also called chocolate crinkle cookies, these are traditional Christmas cookies coated in powdered sugar that looks like fresh snow! They're thick with gooey, soft-baked centers every chocolate lover will adore.
Some people call these classic Christmas cookies chocolate crinkle cookies, but I call them chocolate snowstorm cookies! They are rich and fudgy like brownie cookies rolled in powdered sugar to give them a crisp, snowy appearance.
These cookies are a total crowd-pleaser and will satisfy all the chocolate lovers at your Christmas party or cookie exchange. They're easy and quick to make with a handful of panty staple ingredients.
You'll want to make a double batch of these because they look so pretty in a cookie box, are perfect for gifting, and will go fast!
If you need more cookie recipes for your next holiday gathering, try chocolate thumbprint cookies, peanut butter brownie cookies, apricot thumbprint cookies, brown butter peanut butter cookies, or Danish butter cookies next!
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Ingredient Notes
Here are notes about some of the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
- Unsalted butter- Softened butter is crucial to add fat and a rich buttery flavor. Make sure it's softened for an even texture. Take it out of the refrigerator 2 hours before baking.
- Oil- Making these cookies with butter and oil makes them extra moist! Use flavorless oil like avocado, canola, or vegetable oil.
- Sugars- Granulated sugar and brown sugar help to sweeten the cookie dough. You can use light or dark brown sugar, just make sure it's fresh and moist.
- Egg- 1 large egg binds the ingredients together. Make sure it's room temperature so it's easy to mix in.
- Vanilla extract- A little vanilla enhances all the other flavors. Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
- All purpose flour- This is the best flour for a hearty, chewy texture. Measure it correctly in grams with a kitchen scale or by using the spoon and level method.
- Cocoa powder- Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. This cocoa powder is treated with alkali, which reduces its acidity and makes the flavor more deep and rich. The color is deeper too.
- Baking powder- This leavener reacts with heat in the oven to make the cookies rise and spread. Check the expiration date before you use it.
- Salt- A pinch of salt helps to offset the sweetness and balance the flavor profile.
- Chocolate chips- You can use semi-sweet or dark regular or mini chocolate chips. Chopped chocolate bars work too.
- Powdered sugar- Also called confectioners sugar or icing sugar, this is what we roll the dough in to make the cookies look snowy!
Substitutions & Variations
- Use a 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour to make these gluten free. My favorite is from Bob's Red Mill.
- Make the flavor a little more festive by adding a ยผ teaspoon of peppermint extract and folding chopped candy canes into the cookie dough.
- Add a little red food coloring to the dough to make these red velvet crinkle cookies! Use a gel based color for the best results.
Helpful Equipment and Tools
You need an electric handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for mixing up the cookie dough. I've made this recipe both ways and the cookies turned out great each time!
For scooping the dough, I recommend a 1 or 1.5 ounce cookie scoop (2-3 tablespoons). You can use a larger cookie scoop, but your cookies will take a few minutes longer to bake.
Step by Step Instructions
Before you start baking, line 2 half cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
Step 1: First, cream the unsalted butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and pearlescent. This will take about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Next, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-low speed until well combined.
Step 3: Add the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Lightly combine them on top and then beat in on low until there are a few dry streaks of flour left.
Step 4: Next, fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula until the dry streaks of flour completely disappear. Chill the bowl of cookie dough for 3 hours covered in the fridge.
Step 5: Fill a small bowl with powdered sugar. Use a 1.5 ounce cookie scoop to scoop the dough and roll into balls. Drop each cookie dough ball into the powdered sugar, rolling to coat well. Place each dough ball on the lined cookie sheets with 1-2 inches between each.
Step 6: Bake the cookies for 11-14 minutes until the edges are crisp and set but the centers are still gooey. Remove from the oven and let cool on the hot pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use room temperature butter and egg. The butter and egg need to be room temperature so the cookie dough is uniform. Room temperature butter is cool to the touch but is easy to indent applying gentle pressure with your finger.
- Measure the flour correctly. Measure the flour in grams with a kitchen scale for the most accuracy. If you don't have one, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it's overflowing and swipe off the excess with a knife.
- Chill the dough. Please don't skip this step! You need to chill the cookie dough so the cookies don't spread too much in the oven. It also needs to be chilled so the crinkly top forms correctly.
- Roll in powdered sugar generously. If it's a humid day, the powdered sugar can melt into the cookies in the oven. Rolling the dough in lots of powdered sugar helps them come out looking extra snowy and white!
Storage and Freezing
Make sure the snowstorm cookies are completely cool before transferring them to an airtight container. They'll stay fresh on the counter for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezing
To freeze, first place the cool baked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw for 1-2 hours in the refrigerator or on the counter before eating.
The cookie dough can be frozen too! Chill the dough as directed, roll into balls, and freeze them on a cookie sheet for 2 hours or until frozen solid. Then, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to bake the cookies, let the dough thaw on a baking sheet on the counter for 30 minutes-1 hour. Roll in powdered sugar and bake according to the instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cookies won't crinkle if the dough is too wet. When the dough is chilled, it has time to dry out. Please don't skip chilling the dough- it's super important! You can encourage spreading and cracking by banging the cookie sheet on the counter a few times right after they come out of the oven.
There are many reasons why the cookies could turn out flat. You may have over-measured the butter and oil, used butter that was too warm, or didn't let the cookie dough chill long enough.
Sometimes if the dough is too wet or the air is too humid, the powdered sugar can melt or turn a yellow-y color in the oven. To prevent this, lightly roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar before rolling them in the powdered sugar.
More Cookie Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Chocolate Snowstorm Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment
Need Metric or US Customary Measurements?
Use the buttons below to toggle between grams and cups!
Ingredients
- 113 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 30 grams neutral oil
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 100 grams brown sugar light or dark
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 grams all purpose flour
- 50 grams Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 120 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 65 grams powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ยฐF/190ยฐC. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream unsalted butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. It will have almost an iridescent pearly sheen.113 grams unsalted butter, 100 grams granulated sugar, 100 grams brown sugar, 30 grams neutral oil
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat in the egg and vanilla extract on medium-low speed until well combined.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix in the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt on low until mostly combined with a few dry streaks of flour.120 grams all purpose flour, 50 grams Dutch processed cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- Fold the chocolate chips into the dough with a rubber spatula until the dry streaks of flour disappear. Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 3 hours.120 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Once the dough is chilled, fill a small bowl with powdered sugar. Scoop the dough, roll into balls, and drop each into the powdered sugar, rolling to coat well.65 grams powdered sugar
- Place each dough ball on the lined cookie sheets with 1-2 inches between each. Bake for 11-14 minutes until the edges are set and the middles are puffy.
- Remove the cookie sheets from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the hot pans for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
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