Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
These vegan chocolate crinkle cookies are soft, fudgy and super festive. They’re easy to make, with a gluten-free option, and fun to customise to your own preference!
I know it’s only October… but is it just me, or is anyone else feeling a little festive?
I’ll be honest, I’m not usually a huge fan of the commercial, materialistic side of the festive season but I absolutely loooove baking at this time of the year. The last 3 months in the year are always the best for all things sweet!
So I decided now is the perfect time to start my Autumn/Winter baking for 2019. First up are these perfectly fudgy crinkle cookies.
As far as I’m aware, chocolate crinkle cookies are not really a thing in the UK. I first heard of them when I visited a friend in California and she baked them for her family.
I was a little perplexed when I first tried them. Although they tasted amazing, I personally felt like they tasted more like a mix between a cake and a cookie. Until then, I’d only really had crunchy or chewy cookies.
Nevertheless, they were super tasty.
Chocolate crinkle cookies melt in your mouth and have a chewy, fudgy centre, much like a brownie.
Except it’s in cookie form!
I think they’d make a great addition to any festive gathering. Plus, it’s something a bit different if you’ve never had these before!
My friend made her recipe with eggs and dairy so, of course, I wanted to try to recreate the cookies without those ingredients.
And since I was cutting out the animal products, I also decided to do a test with gluten-free flour so that even more people can enjoy them.
I have to admit that the regular plain-flour makes much chewier cookies. The gluten-free ones are a bit softer in texture.
However, they are still super tasty and it’s nice to have the option for those who can’t have gluten! Especially at Christmas time.
Chocolate crinkle cookies are easy to customise to your own taste too. If you want Autumnal cookies, add a dash of coffee or ground cinnamon.
For Christmassy cookies, add in a little peppermint or orange extract. Or if you prefer a simpler flavour, try just adding a little bit of vanilla extract.
You could even try adding in some chocolate chips if that’s your thing!
I experimented with a few flavours- orange, peppermint and vanilla- and peppermint was my favorite by far! I added around 1/2 a teaspoon to the whole batch of cookie dough and it worked out perfectly.
Not too strong, but definitely noticeable.
The only thing I will say is that I found the taste of the gluten-free flour slightly strong when I didn’t add any flavour extracts. Adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract keeps the flavour classic but takes away the “floury” taste.
Want more vegan cookie recipes?
How To Make Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Step 1:
The first step of this recipe is to prepare your cookie tray(s). I used two medium-sized trays and lined them with baking paper.
Step 2:
Add 100 grams (3/4 cup) of self-raising flour and 25g (1/4 cup) of unsweetened cocoa powder into a large bowl. Mix it together until there are no lumps left. It helps if you sift the mixture but this isn’t essential.
You can sub the flour 1:1 for gluten-free flour blend. If you can’t find a self-raising blend, just use plain flour with 1/4 tsp of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of baking powder mixed in.
I used Asda’s own gluten free flour as it contains xanthan gum, which stops the cookies from falling apart. If your blend doesn’t contain it, add 1/8 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the recipe.
Step 3:
Add 45g (~3 tablespoons) of vegan butter to the bowl and use your fingers to rub it into the dry mixture until well combined. When you’re done, the mixture should be dry and crumbly.
Step 4:
Stir in 100 grams of caster sugar (around 1/2 a cup).
Step 5:
Mix 2 tablespoons of soy milk with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of your flavour extract. If using peppermint, use 1/2 teaspoon as it’s a bit stronger than the others.
Step 6:
Add the milk to the bowl and mix everything together using a spoon. When it starts to stick together slightly, use your hands to form a dough.
Step 7:
Cover the dough and place it into the fridge for 30 minutes. This will help enhance the fudgy texture of the cookies.
I did also try this recipe without refrigerating the dough and while it still worked OK, the cookies were a bit drier.
At this point, you’ll also need to preheat your oven to 180C / 350F.
Step 8:
Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into 8 equal pieces using a spoon or your hands. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten each ball into a disc that’s around 1 to 1.5-inches thick.
If you’re using gluten-free flour, it will be a bit stickier but should be firm enough to separate.
Step 9:
Place 60 grams (1/2 cup) of icing sugar onto a plate and roll each of the discs in it until completely covered. The more you use, the better they will look once baked.
Step 10:
Place them onto your baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. The cookies will still be wobbly when you take them out, so allow them to cool completely before removing them from the tray.
If you’ve used gluten-free flour, the cookies will be a lot more fragile. Once they’ve cooled completely, carefully transfer them to the fridge and leave them for 1 hour. This will help them to firm up and become more fudgy.
FAQ:
Store them at room temperature in an airtight container, or in the fridge for a chewier texture. For the gluten-free cookies, I definitely recommend storing them in the fridge.
These cookies will last for around 3-4 days if stored appropriately.
I wouldn’t recommend this as oil does not set firm in the same way that vegan butter does. The butter is what gives the cookies the chewy texture.
More vegan Christmas desserts:
And that’s it! I hope you enjoy this recipe. Let me know what you think of them by leaving a review or comment below, or tag me on Instagram @bakedbyclo.
Happy baking! xo
Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Soft, melt in your mouth cookies with a fudgy, brownie-like centre. Perfect for festive parties!
Ingredients
- 100 g Self-raising flour* (¾ cup. Can be subbed for gluten-free self-raising flour blend.)**
- 25 g Cocoa powder (¼ cup)
- 45 g Vegan butter (~3 tablespoons)
- 100 g Caster sugar (½ cup)
- ½-1 Teaspoon Flavour extract of choice (I like to use peppermint, orange or vanilla. Amounts will vary depending on the flavour so adjust to taste.)
- 2 Tablespoons Soy milk (sub any plant-based milk)
- 60 g Icing / powdered sugar (~½ cup)
Instructions
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Line a large baking tray with baking paper and set to one side.
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In a large bowl, mix together the flour and cocoa powder until well combined.
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Add the vegan butter and use your fingers to rub it into the dry mixture to make a breadcrumb texture.
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Stir in the caster sugar.
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Mix together the plant-based milk and your flavour extract of choice. Then add it to the bowl with the dry mixture.
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Use a spoon to mix everything in until it starts to stick together, then use your hands to form a ball of dough. It will seem dry at first but should stick together easily when you get your hands in there.
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Cover the dough and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
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Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C / 325°F if you're using a fan or convection oven.)
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Remove the dough from the fridge after the 30 minutes and divide it into 8 equal pieces***. Use your hands to roll each piece into a ball and flatten it to a disc that's around 1 to 1.5 inches thick.
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Put the icing sugar onto a shallow plate and roll each disc in it until completely covered. The more you use, the better they will look once baked.
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Place the cookies onto the tray and bake for 10 minutes. They will still be a bit wobbly when you remove them from the oven but will become fudgy and chewy when cool. Make sure to let them cool completely before you try to remove them from the tray.****
Recipe Notes
- *If you can’t find self-raising flour, add 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp baking powder to plain flour.
- **Make sure your gluten-free flour blend contains xanthan gum, which will help the cookies stick together. I use Asda’s Free From. Otherwise, add 1/8 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the flour.
- ***The dough will be slightly sticky if you used GF flour but it should be firm enough to separate and roll into balls.
- ****If using GF flour, the cookies will be a lot more fragile. Once they’re completely cool, carefully transfer them to the fridge and leave them in there for 1 hour, to help them to firm up and become chewier.
