The Sweetest Kind of Kitchen Chaos
Alright, let me set the scene for you. It’s Christmas Eve (or maybe it was the day before... time loses all meaning during the holidays, right?), and I’m knee-deep in flour and cocoa powder, trying to stop my cat from licking powdered sugar off the table. That's what making these fudgy red velvet crinkle Christmas cookies is like in my house—messy, a smidge chaotic, but oh-so worth it. My sister always claims the first warm one, no shame, and honestly, can you blame her?
I think I started making these crinkles after seeing a recipe in an old library cookbook—I don’t even remember which one, actually, but I do remember completely covering myself in red food coloring (pro tip: don't wear white, learn from my past mistakes). Anyway, these cookies have stuck around ever since. They're flashy enough for the Christmas platter, but that rich, fudgy middle? Yeah, that's the real reason we keep coming back.
Why You'll Go Nuts for These Cookies
So, I make this recipe anytime I need something that looks a little fancy (even if I’m the only one who knows that it’s basically cake in disguise). My family goes wild for these because—well, they disappear! Seriously, the fudge factor in the middle gets my dad every single time (he grew up convinced all cookies should crumble, so he’s a convert now). I will admit, wrestling with the sticky dough used to drive me up the wall, but honestly, if you chill it a bit longer or dust your hands with extra powdered sugar, it’s way less faff than you’d think. Oh, and my neighbor once called them “the snazziest Christmas biscuits,” which, I'm not sure is an actual compliment, but I took it and ran with it.
What You’ll Need (And a Couple Things You Don’t!)
- 1 ¼ cups (160g) plain flour — swap in gluten-free if Aunt Barb is coming over
- ¼ cup cocoa powder — I sometimes use Dutch-process if I’m feeling posh, but regular is fine
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt (my gran would always say, 'don’t scrimp on this')
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened — I’ve done this with margarine in a pinch, but it’s... not quite the same
- ¾ cup (150g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (real, fake, that’s your business)
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring — skip it if your cupboards are bare, but then you’re just making chocolate crinkles (delicious, but not as festive)
- ½ cup (80g) chocolate chips — optional, but wow do they ooze when warm
- ¾ cup (90g) powdered sugar (icing sugar) for rolling
How To Make Them (And Don’t Panic, Please!)
- Mix the dry stuff. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. (Don’t worry if it lumps a bit; cocoa powder always clumps—just bash it around with the whisk.)
- Cream the butter and sugar. You can use a mixer or a strong arm (I’ve survived with a wooden spoon before, but your biceps will know about it!). Beat till it’s pale and fluffy... or until you get bored tbh.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and food coloring. This is where things look a bit alarming. The red might not seem red enough, but it’ll sort itself out, promise. If it looks too pink, add a tad more color, just watch your sleeves!
- Combine it all. Dump in the dry stuff. Stir until it just comes together—overmixing is the cookie killer here. Fold in chocolate chips now if you’re using them. The dough will be sticky, like, stickier than is reasonable for something edible. That’s normal.
- Chill time. Cover and chill for at least an hour. (Or 30 minutes in the freezer if you, like me, are sometimes impatient. It’ll be a bit harder to scoop but it'll do.)
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with parchment or one of those silicone baking mats (if you’ve got one—love mine, found it here for cheap).
- Roll and sugar up. Scoop out heaping tablespoons (I just grab a spoon and eyeball it), roll into balls, then dunk generously in powdered sugar (don’t skimp—that's where the crackles come from!).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. They’re done when the tops are all crinkly but still a bit soft. If you overbake, they’ll still taste good but the fudge factor slips away.
- Cool on the tray for 10 min—really, don’t skip this; I once scooted them straight onto a rack and most of them did a dramatic collapse.
This is the stage where I always sneak one. All in the name of quality assurance, right?
Little Discoveries (Aka, I Messed Up So You Don’t Have To)
- If your cookies aren’t crackling, your dough was probably too warm (happens to me when I get distracted—again, just chill them a bit longer next time)
- Don’t worry if the dough looks like it’s never going to hold together after adding the food coloring; it always sorts itself out when it chills
- I think these taste better the next day but, honestly, they rarely make it that far in this house
Let’s Talk Variations (Some Genius, Some Not)
- I tried swapping in white chocolate chips—surprisingly delicious. The contrast is like Christmas on a plate
- Peppermint extract in place of vanilla: warning, a single drop goes a long way. Twice I’ve overdone it, and it basically tasted like toothpaste (festive but not in a good way)
- A vegan version worked well once, with a flax egg and plant butter, but honestly, the fudge center wasn’t *quite* as gooey
About the Gear (And a Few Cheats)
Do you need an electric mixer for this? It helps, but plenty of times I’ve done this with an old wooden spoon and some elbow grease (plus, you get to feel virtuous). No cookie scoop? Just wet your hands to keep the dough from gluing itself to your skin. Parchment paper is ace, but in a pinch, I’ve greased a battered old tray—worked fine, though cleanup was a bear.
Keeping Leftovers (If You Somehow Have Any)
Store these in an airtight tin on the counter (or a big lunchbox, if you’re me). They’ll stay soft for 3-4 days, though—honestly—in my house it never lasts more than a day! If they stick together, just dust ‘em with more sugar before serving. Oh, and if you want to freeze them, just pop the raw dough balls (pre-sugar-coating) in a bag, freeze, then roll and bake whenever you fancy a quick batch. Good to know, right? More tips about storing crinkle cookies here if you want to go deep.
The Best Way to Serve (In My Opinion, Anyway)
Okay, so at my place, we pile these onto a plate, pour out mugs of hot cocoa (sometimes, a little splash of Baileys for the adults), and sit by the tree. My mum swears they’re perfect with a strong coffee and a loud Christmas playlist (the Mariah one, on repeat... sorry neighbors). Actually, I genuinely think these taste even fudgier a day later, so if you manage to hide a few, let them age like fine wine (in cookie form, obviously).
Lessons Learned From Cookie Mishaps
- I once tried doubling the red food coloring because I wanted super red cookies and, wow, that was a mistake. It stained everything—hands, tongue, table, you name it. Use with caution.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. Seriously. I rushed it once and ended up with red puddles instead of cookies. Funny, but not the best flavor.
FAQs: You Asked, I Answered
- Do these freeze well? Oh, absolutely! They’ve sat happily in my freezer for a month (I found some behind the peas, true story); just freeze the dough balls before rolling in sugar, then bake from frozen, maybe tack on a minute or so.
- Can I cut down on the sugar? I mean... a little? But the main sugar is for structure. If you’re worried about the outer sugar, just roll lighter, but then you lose the snowball look. I say go all in; holidays, right?
- Is there a way to make them dairy free? Yup! Use plant-based butter—actually, I find it works better if you chill it a bit longer, since sometimes the vegan stuff makes the dough softer
- What if my cookies aren’t crackling? Usually means they were too warm going in, or your baking powder’s lost its punch. Next time, chill longer, and maybe grab a new tin of baking powder (I’ve made that mistake often enough...)
For a fun visual guide, this site has brilliant photos that make me hungry every time. Hope you love making (and eating) these as much as my wild, slightly noisy, definitely sugar-obsessed family does. And if you get powdered sugar everywhere, you’re doing it right.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for coating)
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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2In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
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3In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and red food coloring.
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4Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. The dough will be thick.
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5Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll into balls, and coat generously in powdered sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
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6Bake for 11-13 minutes, until the cookies are set but still soft. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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