Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
A holiday staple, these Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies bake up with fudgy, brownie-like centers and perfectly crackled tops. They deliver the same nostalgic cocoa flavor as the classic version with just a few simple pantry ingredients.
Print
Pin
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee (optional)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted if lumpy
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For Rolling
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted if lumpy
Instructions
- Note: It is highly recommended to chill these cookies for 2 hours before rolling them out and baking. They can be baked right after mixing, but they will spread more, resulting in a flatter cookie with crisper edges and less defined crinkles.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a mixing bowl, stir together melted butter with brown and white sugar to combine. Then add in vanilla extract, soy milk (or plant milk of choice), and instant coffee (if using). Stir to combine.
- Add dry ingredients: Add in the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix with a spatula to combine.
- Chill dough: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover with a lid or plastic wrap to keep the dough from drying out. Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours (recommended) or overnight. If you chill the dough overnight, take it out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes before scooping it, so it has a chance to soften a bit.
- Preheat: Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle. Optionally, line with parchment or a silicone baking mat for easy cleanup.
- Prepare sugar for rolling: Prepare two small bowls: one with granulated white sugar and one with powdered sugar.
- Shape and roll in sugar: Scoop the dough into small portions and roll each one into a smooth ball. (I use a #40 cookie scoop to portion 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie.) Roll each ball first in the granulated sugar to coat, and then in the powdered sugar to coat. Gently tap off any excess and arrange on the cookie sheet with about 2" in between cookies.
- Bake and enjoy: Bake cookies in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. (10 for softer, fudgy cookies, and 12 for a slightly crisp finish.) The cookies will be soft when you take them out. Let them cool on the tray for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
- Storage: Chocolate crinkles can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Make sure they are fully cooled before you store them, or the powdered sugar can start to melt.
Notes
Vegetable oil: In a pinch, you can substitute a neutral vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil) for the melted vegan butter.
Dutched vs. natural cocoa powder: You can use either type of cocoa powder in this recipe. Personally I use natural cocoa powder for a more classic, brownie-like flavor and lighter color. Dutched cocoa will produce a much darker cookie with a smoother flavor (kind of reminiscent of Oreos).
Did you make this recipe?We’d love for you to leave a review on the website! You can also share a photo on IG and tag @sarahsvegankitchen_ or #sarahsvegankitchen.