Cinnamon chocolate crinkle cookies

RIDDLE: How many cooks does it take to make cinnamon chocolate crinkle cookies? Answer: three. You definitely want to have two granddaughters with you in the kitchen, because the cookies just come out better that way. The one who can read organizes the dry ingredients, while the other measures the sugar and cracks the eggs into a bowl. You get to do the hard stuff, like turning on the stand mixer. And when it's time to form the cookies, one girl wields the ice cream scoop to portion out the cookies, one rolls the balls of dough in cinnamon sugar, and you do the hot oven maneuvers. These cookies were a spur-of-the-moment activity for us (hence the iPhone photos), and we didn't want to run to the store for any ingredients. The original recipe calls for chocolate chips, but we didn't have any, and the cookies really don't need them. We added some cinnamon into the dough, for a slightly more complex flavor, and the cookies were a huge hit. You have everything you need -- except two of my favorite kitchen assistants -- right in your own perfect pantry.

Cinnamon chocolate crinkle cookies

From the pantry, you'll need: all-purpose unbleached flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, kosher salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, eggs.

Recipe very slightly adapted from this recipe on Inspired Taste. Makes 20-22 3-inch cookies.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the coating:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with Silpats (silicone mats) or parchment paper, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In the bowl of a Kitchenaid-type stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes, until the mixture is well combined and has turned a lighter shade of yellow. Add the eggs, and continue mixing until totally incorporated. Slowly add in the flour mixture, a bit at a time, and stop mixing when all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

Cover the mixer bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the ingredients for the coating.

Use a spoon or a disher (an ice cream scoop with a release) to form balls of cookie dough. Roll each one in your hand until smooth, then gently roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on the baking sheet 3 inches apart (you'll get 12 cookies on a baking sheet).

Bake for 10 minutes, until the top crinkles. Remove the pans from the oven (if you're using two racks, move the baking sheet on the lower rack to the upper, and bake for an extra 1-2 minutes), and set on the stovetop to cool for 5 minutes.

Then, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool until crispy on the outside.

Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid; the cookies will last for a couple of days, but you'll probably eat them all before then.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More chocolate cookie ideas:
Chocolate Nutella nut cookies
Chocolate chip ice cream cookies
Chocolate spice cookies
Mexican chocolate cookies
Sweet and salty peanut chocolate chunk cookies

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Chocolate puddle cookies, from 101 Cookbooks
Dark chocolate walnut cookies, from The Kitchn
Chocolate fudge zucchini cookies, from Two Peas and Their Pod
Cinnamon chocolate churro cupcakes, from Love and Olive Oil
Easy cinnamon chocolate fudge, from Chef in You

Cinnamon chocolate crinkle cookies

From the pantry, you'll need: all-purpose unbleached flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon, kosher salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, eggs.

Recipe very slightly adapted from this recipe on Inspired Taste. Makes 20-22 3-inch cookies.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the coating:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with Silpats (silicone mats) or parchment paper, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In the bowl of a Kitchenaid-type stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes, until the mixture is well combined and has turned a lighter shade of yellow. Add the eggs, and continue mixing until totally incorporated. Slowly add in the flour mixture, a bit at a time, and stop mixing when all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

Cover the mixer bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the ingredients for the coating.

Use a spoon or a disher (an ice cream scoop with a release) to form balls of cookie dough. Roll each one in your hand until smooth, then gently roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on the baking sheet 3 inches apart (you'll get 12 cookies on a baking sheet).

Bake for 10 minutes, until the top crinkles. Remove the pans from the oven (if you're using two racks, move the baking sheet on the lower rack to the upper, and bake for an extra 1-2 minutes), and set on the stovetop to cool for 5 minutes.

Then, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool until crispy on the outside.

Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid; the cookies will last for a couple of days, but you'll probably eat them all before then.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More chocolate cookie ideas:
Chocolate Nutella nut cookies
Chocolate chip ice cream cookies
Chocolate spice cookies
Mexican chocolate cookies
Sweet and salty peanut chocolate chunk cookies

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Chocolate puddle cookies, from 101 Cookbooks
Dark chocolate walnut cookies, from The Kitchn
Chocolate fudge zucchini cookies, from Two Peas and Their Pod
Cinnamon chocolate churro cupcakes, from Love and Olive Oil
Easy cinnamon chocolate fudge, from Chef in You

Comments

Love the photo of your kitchen assistant with the missing teeth! Making cookies with kids is so fun, and you can get them to eat most of the cookies too.

Kalyn, six years ago I did a post with her older sister, also missing teeth. It's a theme! And I didn't have any problem finding people to eat those cookies.

Hi Lydia! These cookies look so good, and I do have all the ingredients, well except the "little helpers"!... I was just wondering, what does the cream of tartar do? Thank you so much for this wonderful site!... I always learn so much.

Love the picture of your helper:) Question for you... What kind of unsweetened cocoa powder do you like to use?

Jocelyn, the cream of tartar, in combination with the baking soda, makes the cookies puff up a bit faster (I think), so they will crack and crinkle.

Shannon, good question. I always use Hershey's unsweetened cocoa.

She's adorable and how lucky you are!! And the cookies look scrumptious.... better than the average crinkle cookie actually because yours look like they have something of the brownie in them.