Welcome back to Twelve Days of Cookies! Today is day 8, and I am bringing you a classic: Chocolate Crinkles. And they just happen to be gluten-free! There are so many people with various diets and allergies these days that it’s nice to have options for everyone that don’t involve a special trip to the grocery store. I recently posted a recipe for Chewy Pumpkin Ginger Cookies that are very easily made vegan, so now you have options that can please a wide variety of your friends and family members in the coming weeks. Let’s get to the recipe. 

 These cookies start by melting a pound of bittersweet chocolate with some butter. Yes, I said a pound of chocolate. As these cookies have no flour and only 1/2 cup of dry ingredients, the chocolate helps with structure…and overall deliciousness. Use the good stuff–I know it’s expensive, but it’s worth it since it makes up so much of the flavor and texture here. While the chocolate and butter are cooling, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and four eggs for five minutes with an electric mixer. The eggs will supply the rest of the structure in this recipe, so they need to be beaten until they are super fluffy, frothy, and pale yellow. Then beat in some vanilla and a bit of espresso powder. The espresso flavor isn’t noticeable here (it just intensifies the chocolate flavor), but if you are serving these to children, you could use decaf instant coffee or leave it out entirely. Then, beat in cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, until it’s well-mixed and gooey. Stir in two cups of semisweet chocolate chips. If you’re keeping count, that’s three doses of chocolate. Three! Best cookies ever. 

 
   Let the dough chill for 30 minutes, just enough time for the melted chocolate to solidify a bit. Scoop it in two tablespoon increments or use a medium cookie scoop. Roll dough into balls and then roll those in confectioner’s sugar. You want to make sure that the coating is nice and thick; the cookies should basically be completely white. Place them on prepared sheet pans and bake for 11-13 minutes at 350F. Don’t overbake these cookies! You want them to just barely be done. Mine are ready at exactly 11 minutes. They have a crackly outer crust dusted with confectioner’s sugar, and the interior is soft and literally bursting with chocolate. Does it get any better than that?! 

 Everyone will love these Chocolate Crinkles! Between the triple hit of chocolate, the confectioner’s sugar, and the classic cookie nostalgia, these are sure to be a hit at your holiday get-togethers! These are also great for cookie exchanges and gifting. Plus they’re gluten-free, so you’ll have something for everyone 😊 Bottom line: make these cookies. They’re sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

 Need more holiday cookie recipes? Check out these Red Velvet Peppermintdoodles, Eggnog Sandwich Cookies, Whipped Shortbread Snowballs, Apple Cider Snaps, Oreo-Stuffed Andes Peppermint Crunch Cookies, Peppermint Mocha Cookies, and Salted Caramel Chocolate-Covered Pecan Cookies! And there are still four more recipes to come! Stay tuned.

Chocolate Crinkles {Gluten-Free}
adapted from Chocolate Rads on Orangette
makes 3.5 dozen cookies

7 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 pound (16 ounces) good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped*
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso granules
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup confectioner’s sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a double boiler or the microwave, melt the bittersweet chocolate and butter together, stirring frequently, until smooth. Set aside to cool a bit.

In a large mixing bowl, beat granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and room temperature eggs with an electric mixer for 5 minutes. The mixture should be frothy and pale yellow in color. Add in the vanilla and espresso and beat for an additional 30 seconds. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture in two installments. Turn the mixture to low and beat in the dry ingredients. Stir in the chocolate chips. Let the dough chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

Scoop dough in 2 tablespoon increments* and roll into balls. Roll dough balls in confectioner’s sugar and set at least three inches apart on prepared pans. Bake for 11-13 minutes, until set. Do not overbake. Let cool on the pans for ten minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with all remaining dough.

Cookies keep covered at room temperature for up to a week.

Notes:

1. I used Ghirardelli Intense Dark 72%, but have also had success with Trader Joe’s Pound Plus Dark Chocolate. Do not use chocolate chips for this step as the stabilizers will prevent them from melting properly.
2. I used a medium cookie scoop.