Brownie Crinkle Cookies provide everything you know and love about chewy, fudgy brownies in the convenience of individual cookies! Made with only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, these delicious treats come together fast! Enjoy this chocolatey indulgence and beautiful bakery-style crinkle cookie without the specialty bakery cost or effort!
I always love to have homemade cookies in the house to offer to guests or my kids’ friends when they come over. My secret to having fresh cookies always available is to freeze cookie dough after I’ve rolled them into balls and then just grabbing however many I might need in the moment and baking them! It’s my little secret to always having something bakery-fresh to offer. If I happen to be out of frozen cookie dough, this easy chocolate crinkle cookie recipe is one of my go-to’s I can count on to make everyone happy. It only takes a box of brownie mix and a few other ingredients to make these fudgy, chewy brownie-like cookies!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- 5 Minute Prep – There’s no excuse for me not to make these cookies when it only takes me 5 minutes to get them ready! There’s hardly any measuring. It’s basically dump, stir, scoop and bake!
- 5 Ingredients – Minimal ingredients means I don’t have to search for and pull everything out of the cupboard to measure out a long list of dry ingredients. It’s so easy to grab these simple ingredients and get going.
- Soft & Chewy Texture – These have the chewy brownie texture we all know and love, but in cookie form. They’re perfect!
- Beautiful – These cookies are beautiful, bakery-style cookies without the specialty bakery cost or effort.
Recipe Notes
This Brownie Crinkle Cookie recipe is as simple as promised! Just 5 minutes of prep for a beautiful and delicious bakery-style treat.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make these chocolate crinkle cookies to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Box of brownie mix – Grab your favorite brand
- Eggs– The large eggs and cocoa powder will help bind the cookies together before you roll them in the powdered sugar.
- Cocoa powder – This will also give the cookies a more dark chocolate flavor. For less dark chocolate, sub flour for the cocoa powder.
- Butter – Melt the butter.
- Powdered sugar – For rolling the cookie dough balls in.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Chocolate Chip Chocolate Crinkle Cookies– To add an extra chocolatey bite to your cookies, add 1/3 cup of chocolate chips to the batter.
- Nutty Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – If you love the flavor combo of chocolate and peanuts, sprinkle 1/4 c of chopped peanuts into your batter.
- Not So Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies– Using cocoa powder produces a dark chocolate, fudgy cookie. If you prefer less dark chocolate flavor, use 1/4 cup of flour instead.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make the best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.
In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, cocoa powder, butter and eggs. Mix until stiff batter has formed.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough and roll each into a ball.
Roll each ball in a bowl of powdered sugar.
Place on a baking tray about 2 inches apart. Allow plenty of space so they can expand and crinkle. Bake for 8-9 minutes at 350°
Recipe Tips
- Extra Powdered Sugar – For the crinkly top, I think it’s easier to roll the cookie dough balls in the powdered sugar when you use more than 1/4 cup and pile it up into a small bowl, but you do end up wasting some and tossing it in the end.
- Possible to sub flour for cocoa – Using cocoa powder produces a dark chocolate, fudgy cookie. If you prefer a less dark chocolate flavor, use 1/4 flour instead.
- Serving options – When these come out of the oven, they are almost like a molten chocolate cake cookie! They have such soft centers. Once they sit for 15-20 minutes they will set and just be dense and fudgy. Both ways of enjoying them are delicious!
- Parchment Paper – Parchment paper keeps the cookies from sticking to the trays and makes for fast and easy cleanup!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Make the dough in advance – You can easily make the dough well in advance before you bake it. You can either place the covered bowl of cookie dough into your fridge until you’re ready to portion the cookies. Or you can go ahead and scoop individual cookie dough ball portions, roll them in confectioners sugar and then place them in the fridge.
- Freeze cookies before or after baking – Take a look at my instructions below for how to freeze your chocolate crinkle cookies either before or after baking. There are so many options for how to make this super fast recipe even faster!
- Parchment paper – Again, parchment paper is just the best for fast and easy clean up! A silicone mat is also great to place on your pans!
How to Freeze Cookies
This crinkle cookie recipe can be frozen before or after baking. If freezing the cookie dough, you can easily pop out however many you need and bake so they are warm and fresh for serving.
If you prefer, you can bake all the cookies and then freeze. Freezing the baked cookies will preserve them. Once thawed, they come out just as soft, chewy and fresh as they were when initially baked.
To freeze before baking
- Make the cookie dough as instructed, portion into individual balls of dough and roll in powdered sugar.
- Line the dough balls onto a cookie sheet then stick them into the freezer until hardened. There’s no need to set them 2 inches apart since they won’t be baking and spreading in this step.
- Once the cookie dough balls are frozen, transfer them into a freezer-safe bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to bake the cookies, place them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and bake as directed.
How to Freeze Baked Cookies
- Allow the baked cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Transfer the cookies to an airtight container or ziplock bag.
- When you’re ready to enjoy them, take out however many you’d like from the freezer. Allow them to thaw at room temperature for a few minutes.
How to Store Brownie Crinkle Cookies
If you have leftover brownie cookies after making this recipe, then it’s your lucky day! They can be easily saved to enjoy at another time.
To save leftovers, place in an airtight container and store:
- on the counter for 2-3 days
- in the refrigerator for up to a week
- in the freezer up to 2 months
Recipe FAQ’s
Why do you add additional cocoa powder or flour to this recipe?
The cocoa powder, or flour, creates the necessary structure to hold the cookies together, while also creating the signature “cracks,” to keep the cookies thick and chewy, without spreading too thin.
What causes the cookie crinkles?
The cookies beautiful crinkled appearance comes from the powdered sugar they’re rolled in. As the cookies bake and expand, the surface breaks, creating a snowy, crinkle effect.
Can I make this recipe with other flavors of boxed mix?
Absolutely! You can use brownie mix AND cake mix! These are some of my favorite cookies to make for a quick treat because they’re simply so fast and easy. My favorites are Lemon Cake Mix Cookies, Red Velvet Cookies and Devil’s Food Cake Cookies.
More EASY Cookie Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy cookie recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Double Chocolate Pudding Cookies
- Caramel Snickerdoodle Cookies– With melted caramel oozing out of the middle, these are to die for!
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies– One of my family’s favorite cookies ever!!
- Lemon Cake Mix Cookies– The perfect bright spring or summertime treat!
Brownie Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 18.3 ounce box brownie mix
- 1/4 cup cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F.
- In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, cocoa powder, butter, and eggs. Mix until a stiff batter has formed.
- Scoop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls. Roll each into a ball.
- Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Roll each ball in the powdered sugar.
- Place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes then move to a wire cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
- Using cocoa powder produces a dark chocolate, fudgy cookie. If you prefer a less dark chocolate, use 1/4 cup flour instead.
- I think it is easier to roll in the powdered sugar when you use more than 1/4 cup and pile it up into a small bowl, but you do end up wasting some and tossing it at the end.
- When these come out of the oven they are almost like a molten chocolate cake cookie! Once they sit for 15-20 minutes they will set and just be dense and Fudgy. Both are delicious!
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