Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, and perfect for the holidays!
With a bite like a soft, fudgy brownie dusted with a fresh coating of powered sugar, Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are tried and true: you're almost sure to find a batch at any school bake sale or holiday cookie exchange.
Crispy on the outside, fudgy on the inside, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are amazingly simple to make, and taste absolutely decadent. (I also have it on good authority that they are one of Santa’s favorite treats!)
This post may contain affiliate links, but don't worry - they won't bite.
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.
~ Charles Schultz
I always knew my mother’s Chocolate Crinkle Cookies were better than anyone else’s. For a long time though, I didn’t know why. I guess I just supposed everyone thinks their mom's cookies are the best. It wasn't until I started doing recipe development that I learned what set Mom's Chocolate Crinkle Cookies recipe apart: they are flourless. And oil-free! Totally.
From what I can tell, this recipe has its roots in another one of Mom's recipes: Swiss Chews. Swiss Chew's are totally gluten free, employing ground walnuts for structure and mass instead of flour. This Chocolate Crinkle Cookie recipe seems to be an adaptation of that earlier recipe.
(I'll be sharing her original Swiss Chews recipe - my brother's favorite cookie - soon!)
Not only are these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies flourless, but they are also free of added fats! No oil. No butter. (Trust me on this: they don’t need it.)
Which brings me to this little extra holiday bonus: these deliciously fudgy bites of heaven have only about 65 calories per cookie! Can you believe it‽ Now you have no excuse: go make a batch or three today!
Flourless Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 3 eggs separated
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ - ¾ cup powdered sugar for rolling prepared dough in
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 340° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or Silpat mat.
Cookie Dough Prep
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks slightly. Set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse walnuts until they resemble cracked wheat. [Be careful - if you let them go too long, you'll have walnut butter!] Measure walnuts after chopping. Set aside.
- Melt chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave for 40 seconds at a time, stirring after each cycle, until chocolate is completely melted. Allow to cool slightly.
- Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. To the beaten egg whites, gradually add brown sugar mixture and then vanilla, beating until thick. Gently fold in walnuts and beaten egg yolks.
- Fold the melted chocolate chocolate into the whipped egg-white mixture.
- Refrigerate dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight. [DO NOT attempt to make cookies until the dough is cold!]
Forming Cookies
- Form 1" balls of dough using a small cookie scoop or spoon. (About 2 teaspoons per cookie.) A small cookie scoop works perfect for this.
- Pour ½-3/4 cup powdered sugar into a shallow bowl or plate. Rolls cookie dough balls in powdered sugar. Place cookie balls on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. (You do not need to press the cookie balls down.)
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. (If you make your cookies larger, you may need to bake them for an addition 2-3 minutes.) Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
We've got lot's of delicious cookie recipes! Check out our recipes for Amaretti (Italian Macaron Cookies), super-easy, kid-friendly Coconut Cookies, and the best Snickerdoodles ever!
THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. • Be sure to PIN this post!
Ruthann says
And you are making these for the beach trip right???
Emily says
Oh I am very excited to try these. They look amazing!
Renée ♥ says
You will *love* them, Em!
Lila Rose says
These look yummy and I am going to try them very soon. I just have to hit the store first. This is a wonderful blog. <3
Jessica says
Renee - you could tag these as gluten free and allergy-friendly (minus the nuts). 🙂
Renée ♥ says
They are already tagged Gluten Free. Thanks!
jamiegall1930 says
Hi Renee! I just wanted to stop by and tell you I received your goodies today. I absolutely love these cookies so that it was perfect to leave a comment on this post. So, for those fellow readers, make them, you will love them. So moist and very very chocolatey and good =) Thank you so much for the goodies and Happy Holidays =)
Alina | Cooking Journey Blog says
Can't believe these are made without flour. Looks delicious, perfect for Christmas!
Lucy Parissi says
Wow. These might be the first ground walnut cookies I've come across. I'm intrigued to try them out.
Cindy Gordon says
Saw these on social media so I needed to jump over for the recipe! These look great!
Renée ♥ says
So glad you found us! These cookies are so delicious, Cindy. You should try them!
Louise says
These look so good! I can't wait to try them out!
Jana Seitzer says
These look delightful! I think I've found anew holiday cookie recipe!
Traci says
Aren't these fun?! I must say I love it that the espresso powder is optional, but I don't think I'd want to skip it in this recipe 😉 Thanks for sharing...delish!!!
Annaliese says
Yum!! I've never made cookies quite like these but now I want to try them!! 🙂
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
Indya | The Small Adventurer says
These sound SO good! I recently found out I have Celiac disease, and I was devastated at the thought that my baking would be affected, but there's so many ways to make gluten free treats these days, I have nothing to worry about. Definitely putting these on the "to try" list!
Erin @ Platings and Pairings says
These look amazing! Definitely adding this recipe to my Christmas Cookie making list!
Jasmine Hewitt says
these look very tasty, i’ll have to try them
Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life says
These look so good, Renee! Flourless chocolate crinkle cookies are the best!!
Renée ♥ says
You know, Marlynn, they really are. Today I had a regular, flour-based one at an event, and there is just no comparison. The walnuts give these cookies a richness and depth of flavor that the others completely lack.
Aarika says
These cookies look delicious! I've never heard of "crinkle" cookies before. I must try them! Do you think this recipe would work with raw cacao rather than cocoa? The two are different, and I usually have raw cacao in the house. I think it would work! Ideas?
Renée ♥ says
I really don't know, but if you try making them with raw cacao, I'd love to know how they turn out.
Tricia | The Healthy(ish) Home says
These look amazing! Perfect for the cookie exchange I am going to next week ? Chewy cookies are my favorite and it’s a bonus that they are flour free!