by erika Published: Dec 12, 2023 Modified: Jan 6, 2024 2 Comments
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These chocolate crinkle cookies are thick and gooey in the style of the popular Levain Bakery! Created by Chef Danielle Sepsy of Hungry Gnome, these classic Christmas cookies are deeply chocolatey and sure to be a hit at any party.
When I was searching for recipes for the chocolate crinkle cookie bake off, Chef Danielle submitted her own recipe. As soon as I looked at her recipe, I knew I had to try it. Made with cake flour, Dutch-process cocoa, dark brown sugar, two types of chocolate chips and espresso powder, this recipe is exactly up my alley. I was also intrigued by her use of both butter and shortening (which helps the cookies hold their shape).
If you’ve ever been dissatisfied by a thin, dry, tasteless chocolate crinkle cookie, these are the absolute opposite. Thick and decadent with gooey centers, these are some of my favorite Christmas cookies. (Plenty more holiday baking inspiration here!)
If you’re not already convinced to make these cookies, Danielle is the chef and owner behind the wildly popular NYC-based wholesale and online bakery, Hungry Gnome. Not to mention one of the kindest and most talented bakers I’ve ever met! If you’d like to try some of their famous baked goods, online orders ship nationwide and to Canada!
Why you’ll love these chocolate crinkle cookies
- Thick and gooey texture: With thick balls of dough, these bake up into the best chocolate crinkle cookies with crisp edges and gooey interiors studded with melty chocolate chips. The best part of these cookies to me is the molten, fudgy center. They’re similar to the famous cookies from Levain Bakery!
- Deeply chocolatey: Unlike crinkle cookies that rely solely on cocoa powder to get their chocolate flavor, Danielle adds two types of chocolate chips to ensure a deeply chocolate-y flavor.
- Cake flour for a super tender texture: Instead of using all-purpose flour, Danielle uses cake flour for a melt-in-your-mouth cookie texture.
- Thick sugar coating: Danielle rolls these cookies in powdered sugar both before and after chilling to ensure a thick coating of sugar! To help these cookies retain a white powdered sugar coating, try rolling them in a thin layer of granulated sugar before the first coating of powdered sugar.
How to make these cookies
Step 1: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and shortening using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or hand mixer. Add dark brown sugar and granulated sugar and cream together until well-aerated (about 3 minutes).
Step 2: Add flavorings (vanilla extract and espresso powder) and beat in before beating in the eggs one at at time.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients. I like to sprinkle in the salt and leavening first so they can get evenly distributed into the wet ingredients. Next, beat in the Dutch-process cocoa (I always use unsweetened cocoa powder when baking!). I leave the flour for last to minimize the beating and forming gluten.
Step 4: Fold in the chocolate chips. One the dough is formed, all that’s left is to fold in the chocolate chips!
Step 5: Form the dough balls. You’ll split up the dough into 15 balls (about 68 grams each. Rather than using a cookie scoop here, I find the best way to get equally sized cookies is to use a scale). Roll each ball in granulated sugar before rolling in powdered sugar. Place on a cookie sheet to chill in the fridge, uncovered, for at least one hour. The cookie balls can chill up to overnight (in which case you can cover the cookies to prevent them from drying out).
Step 6: Roll in sugar again and bake! Once the dough is chilled, it’s time to preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (350 if baking in a convection oven). Roll the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar one more time, then place on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment spaced about 4″ apart. Bake for around 15 minutes or until puffed, fragrant and edges are set. Let cool to room temperature to help the baked cookies set as they will be very soft in the middle!
What can I use instead of shortening?
You can use butter in place of the shortening (but your cookies may spread a bit more.) Because shortening is 100% fat (unlike butter, which contains water) it helps contribute to a softer and more tender texture. However, your cookies will still be delicious with all butter!
How long do I have to chill the dough for?
Ideally, you’ll chill the dough in the fridge (uncovered) for one hour to prevent them from spreading too much. However, I’ve also tried chilling these for 25 minutes in the freezer before baking, and they still worked well. If you’d like to make these in advance, you can form the balls, roll in granulated and powdered sugar, and store in a covered container overnight. Simply take out the dough balls while the oven is preheating to remove some of the chill.
How to tell when the cookies are done?
You’re looking for the edges to be set but the center to still look underdone. This will ensure a moist and tender cookie center. I think these are best served reheated for 15 seconds in a microwave.
Why roll these cookies in granulated and powdered sugar?
The granulated sugar helps soak up the excess moisture from the (very rich) cookie dough. This helps prevents the powdered sugar coating from melting away and/or turning yellow.
How to store chocolate crinkles
Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Because chocolate cookies tend to dry out a bit as they cool, I like to pop them in the microwave to re-warm for ~10 seconds before eating! I love the way the centers get nice and soft with what feels like freshly melted chocolate chips.
The dough may be chilled for up to a week in the fridge, or stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.
More cookie recipes
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5 from 1 vote
Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Levain-style!)
With a mixture of Dutch-process cocoa, semisweet and bittersweet chocolate chips, these thick and gooey chocolate crinkle cookies are deeply chocolatey with an paralleled texture!
Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
Servings 15
Author Erika Kwee
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1" chunks 113g
- 1/4 cup Crisco shortening
- 1 cup dark brown sugar 213g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 2 large eggs 100g
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa 63g
- 2 cups cake flour 260g
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 170g
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips 170g
For coating
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar, optional 37.5g
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar 113g
Instructions
Beat the butter and shortening together until creamy. Add both sugars and cream for 2-3 minutes, or until well combined. Beat in vanilla and espresso. Beat in eggs one at at time.
Sprinkle in salt and baking powder and beat to combine. Next, beat in the cocoa. Finally, add the flour and beat until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Divide dough into 15 balls (about 68 grams each). Roll balls in granulated sugar if using (this helps keeps the powdered sugar white), then in powdered sugar. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for at least 1 hour. (If chilling overnight, place in a covered container.)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (350 for convection). If dough has been chilled overnight, remove dough from fridge 20-30 minutes before baking. Roll the chilled dough balls in powdered sugar once again and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 4" apart. Bake for 15 minutes, or until puffed, fragrant, and the edges look set and center still looks very soft.
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