Halloween is over, so naturally I’ve started planning out what holiday cookies I’ll bake this year. Not that I’m ready for Christmas decorations, music, and movies yet…I’m a firm Christmas-starts-the-weekend-after-Thanksgiving person. In the meantime, I’ll be snacking on these Spiced Chocolate Crinkle Cookies while I do my holiday cookie planning.
The Ideal Cookie for the In-Between Season
These chocolatey cookies straddle this in-between season perfectly. With warm fall spices (cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and allspice), they’re perfect for both your Thanksgiving dessert table AND your holiday cookie tray! Or for, you know, snacking while holiday gift shopping.
And while I’m a fan of all the traditional flavors of this season — apple, pumpkin, pecans, and all the spices — I NEED something chocolate too. So I combined the traditional fall spices with a deep, dark, chocolate cookie, added some mini chocolate chips for even more chocolate, rolled them in sugar and more spices, and voilà! My new favorite cookie for the post-Halloween, pre-holiday season.
(p.s. If you like the combination of chocolate and spices, check out these Chocolate Gingerbread Biscotti!)
Dutch Process vs Natural Cocoa
To really dial up the fudginess in these cookies, I used Dutch process cocoa powder instead of natural cocoa. Here’s the basic difference:
Dutch process cocoa (or “cocoa processed with alkali”) is cocoa powder that has been processed to lower its acidity, resulting in a deeper, darker chocolate flavor than natural cocoa (think Oreo cookie-type flavor).
In most recipes, you can use Dutch process and natural cocoa powder interchangeably. However, because of the difference in acidity between them, you might notice a slight difference in your bakes depending on if you’re using baking soda (a base) or baking powder (neutral). Each leavener will react differently with the different types of cocoa powder. If you want to know more about that, check out this great article by King Arthur Flour.
Tips for Making Your Best Spiced Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
While these cookies are pretty straightforward to make, there are a few things to keep in mind that can help you make your BEST Spiced Chocolate Crinkle Cookies.
- The spices. I opted for a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice, but you can feel free to swap it out for your favorite spice mix: Chai Spice, Pumpkin Spice, Apple Pie Spice, or Hawaij would also be delish.
- Cocoa powder. As I mentioned above, I like Dutch process cocoa powder for this recipe. I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder, which is technically a mixture of Dutch and natural process cocoas (but it sure tastes like Dutch cocoa). It’s easier (and cheaper) to find near me than typical Dutch cocoa, so that’s what I usually grab.
- Espresso powder. No, espresso powder won’t make your cookies taste like coffee. It’ll just enhance and deepen the chocolate flavor. I like this one: it’s easy to find near me (I pick it up at my local grocery store) and tastes great.
- Almond extract. This also enhances the chocolate flavor, and I highly recommend it. That said, don’t go out and buy some if you don’t already have it on hand. It’s only 1/4 tsp, so you can skip it if you want. Your cookies will still be delish without it!
- Mini chocolate chips. I opted for mini chips for this recipe because they mix into the cookies better for a more consistent texture, and they don’t mess with the structure of the cookies the way big chips would. You could also chop up some chocolate into small bits if you prefer.
- Granulated sugar to roll the cookies in. While crinkle cookies are typically rolled in powdered sugar (like these Chocolate Mint Snowball Cookies), I like how these look without the powdered sugar. Granulated sugar gives them a little *sparkle* — plus, it forms a sort of outer crust that is just delightful.
And that’s all the tips I have for you! Give these cookies a try, and let me know what you think in the comments below!
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Spiced Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 c all-purpose flour
- 1/4 c + 2T Dutch cocoa powder*
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of each: nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice
- 1/2 c butter, softened
- 1/4 c granulated sugar
- 1/2 c brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
- 1/2 c mini chocolate chips
Spiced sugar for rolling
- 1/4 c granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of each: nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, espresso powder, and spices. Set aside.1 c all-purpose flour, 1/4 c + 2T Dutch cocoa powder*, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, pinch of each: nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until light & fluffy – about 2 minutes.1/2 c butter,, 1/4 c granulated sugar, 1/2 c brown sugar
- Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract, and mix until combined.1 large egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp almond extract
- Mixing on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure all dry ingredients are mixed in well. Fold in mini chocolate chips.1/2 c mini chocolate chips
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and spices to make your spiced sugar for rolling. Then, using a medium cookie scoop (or two spoons or your hands), scoop dough into balls (about 1-1 1/2 in) and roll them in the spiced sugar.1/4 c granulated sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, pinch of each: nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice
- Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes until centers are set. Tops should be starting to crinkle and edges should begin to look dry.
- Remove from the oven. Allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 5-10 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. (Cookies also freeze very well!)
Notes
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