Crinkle Cookies: 14 Snowy Christmas Flavors That Steal the Cookie Tray

Crinkle cookies look like they were baked in a snowstorm, and that is why they are the star of so many Christmas cookie trays. Searches for crinkle cookies on Google climbed to their highest point of the fall in October, and new flavors like pumpkin, red velvet cake mix and brown butter cinnamon are suddenly breakout searches. The classic chocolate crinkle on Allrecipes has more than 2,500 ratings, and one chocolate crinkle video on YouTube has over 3.3 million views. So here is one cookie in many flavors, from the classic to a 4 ingredient cake mix shortcut, each with a short shopping list and easy steps. Grab your powdered sugar..

Classic Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, the One That Started It All

They look like they were baked in a snowstorm. The secret is a double roll, first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar, so the white coat cracks open instead of melting into the dough. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, because cold dough spreads slowly and gives you those deep cracks. Take them out while the middles still look soft. You can find more top rated versions in the crinkle cookie recipes at NYT Cooking..

You will need: 1 cup cocoa powder, 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 4 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling

How to make it: 1. Whisk cocoa, sugar and oil, then beat in the eggs one at a time and the vanilla. 2. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. 3. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. 4. Roll 1 inch balls in granulated sugar, then thickly in powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes and cool on the pan.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies With a Cake Mix Shortcut

Red velvet crinkle cookies made with cake mix just became a breakout search on Google, and it is easy to see why. One box of red velvet cake mix, two eggs and a little oil turn into a soft dough in about two minutes. The deep red shows through the white cracks, so they look like little snowy ornaments on the tray. Would you make these with A: cake mix or B: from scratch?

You will need: 1 box red velvet cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Stir the cake mix, eggs, oil and vanilla into a thick dough. 2. Chill 30 minutes. 3. Scoop 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar, then thickly in powdered sugar. 4. Bake at 350 F for 9 to 11 minutes. 5. Cool 5 minutes on the pan.

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkles for Candy Cane Lovers

Chocolate and peppermint is the flavor of December, and it works beautifully in a crinkle. A little peppermint extract goes in the dough, and crushed peppermint candies get pressed on top right after baking so they stay crunchy. A famous holiday movie version of these cookies has more than 1.5 million views on YouTube. Do you like your peppermint strong or just a hint?

You will need: 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup oil, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies

How to make it: 1. Whisk cocoa, sugar and oil, then beat in eggs, vanilla and peppermint. 2. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt and chill 2 hours. 3. Roll balls in powdered sugar. 4. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. 5. Press crushed candy on top while warm.

Gingerbread Molasses Crinkles That Smell Like Christmas

If gingerbread men are too much work, make these. Molasses, ginger, cinnamon and cloves give you full gingerbread flavor in a soft, chewy cookie with a crackly sugar top. Molasses crinkle searches just hit a breakout on Google this fall. They also stay soft for a week in a tin, so they are perfect for gift boxes. Is gingerbread a must on your holiday tray?

You will need: 3/4 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1/4 cup molasses, 2 1/4 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sugar for rolling, powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and brown sugar, then add the egg and molasses. 2. Mix in the flour, soda, spices and salt. 3. Chill 1 hour. 4. Roll balls in sugar, then lightly in powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 9 to 10 minutes.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies, Bright and Sunny on a Winter Tray

Lemon crinkle cookies are the surprise hit of every cookie swap. They are soft, chewy and full of fresh zest, with a sweet crackly coat on top. Eric Kim’s lemon turmeric crinkle cookies at NYT Cooking have more than 3,000 ratings, which shows how much people love this flavor. They are a nice break from all the chocolate. Who in your family is a lemon fan?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 2 tbsp lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Rub the zest into the sugar, then beat with the butter. 2. Beat in egg, lemon juice and vanilla. 3. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt and chill 1 hour. 4. Roll balls in powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Brown Butter Cinnamon Crinkles With a Toffee Taste

Browning the butter takes five extra minutes and makes these cookies taste nutty, deep and almost like toffee. A roll in cinnamon sugar before the powdered sugar gives them a snickerdoodle feel. Brown butter cinnamon crinkle cookies went from nothing to a breakout search this fall. Let the butter cool before you mix, so the dough is not greasy. Have you ever browned butter?

You will need: 3/4 cup butter (browned and cooled), 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt. Coating: 1/4 cup sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon, powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Cook the butter until golden brown and nutty, then cool 15 minutes. 2. Whisk in brown sugar, egg and vanilla. 3. Stir in the dry ingredients and chill 1 hour. 4. Roll balls in cinnamon sugar, then powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Crinkle Cookies for Thanksgiving Week

Pumpkin crinkle cookies are a breakout search on Google right now, and they are perfect for Thanksgiving week. Pumpkin puree makes them soft and cakey, and the spice smells like pie. Blot the pumpkin with a paper towel first so the dough is not too wet. Then save the extras for the Christmas tray. Pumpkin or chocolate: which would you bake first?

You will need: 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (blotted), 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and brown sugar, then add pumpkin, yolk and vanilla. 2. Stir in flour, baking powder, spice and salt. 3. Chill 2 hours. 4. Roll balls in sugar, then powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 11 to 13 minutes.

Eggnog Spiced Crinkles, No Eggnog Bottle Needed

These pale, snowy cookies taste like a cup of eggnog, but there is no carton to open and no liquor in the dough. Fresh nutmeg, a little cinnamon and vanilla do all the work. They look elegant next to the dark chocolate crinkles, and kids love them. Grate the nutmeg fresh if you can, the smell alone says Christmas. Is eggnog a yes or a no in your house?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp rum extract (optional), 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. 2. Beat in egg, vanilla and extract. 3. Stir in flour, baking powder, spices and salt, then chill 1 hour. 4. Roll balls thickly in powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 12 minutes, until set but pale.

Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Like a Box of After Dinner Mints

If you love mint chocolate chip ice cream, these are your cookie. Dark cocoa dough gets a touch of mint extract and a handful of chopped mint chocolate pieces, so every bite has a cool, creamy pocket. They pair perfectly with a cup of hot cocoa. Use mint extract, not peppermint, for that ice cream shop flavor. Mint chocolate: A: love it or B: toothpaste?

You will need: 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup oil, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp mint extract, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup chopped mint chocolate pieces, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Whisk cocoa, sugar and oil, then beat in the eggs and mint. 2. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt, then the chopped mint chocolate. 3. Chill 2 hours. 4. Roll in powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.

Espresso Mocha Crinkles for the Coffee Drinkers

One spoon of instant espresso powder makes chocolate taste even more like chocolate, and two spoons make these cookies taste like a mocha. They are rich, dark and fudgy, with a bittersweet edge that grown ups love. Pack a few with a bag of good coffee for a teacher or neighbor gift. Do you dunk your cookies in coffee?

You will need: 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup oil, 2 eggs, 2 tsp instant espresso powder, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Dissolve the espresso in the vanilla. 2. Whisk cocoa, sugar, oil, eggs and the espresso mix. 3. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and chips, then chill 2 hours. 4. Roll in powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes.

Orange Cranberry Crinkles, Pretty and Not Too Sweet

Orange zest and chopped dried cranberries make these crinkles taste fresh and festive. Little red flecks peek through the white sugar, so they look like they were made for Christmas. They are a great choice for people who find most holiday cookies too sweet. Want a twist? Add a handful of white chocolate chips. Would you add white chocolate?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tbsp orange zest, 2 tbsp orange juice, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 3/4 cup chopped dried cranberries, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Rub the zest into the sugar and beat with the butter. 2. Beat in egg, juice and vanilla. 3. Stir in the dry ingredients and cranberries and chill 1 hour. 4. Roll balls in powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 11 to 12 minutes.

Double Chocolate Brownie Crinkle Cookies

Half brownie, half cookie, all fudge. Melted chocolate in the dough makes these crinkle cookies extra dense and gooey in the middle, and chocolate chunks add pockets of melted chocolate. Take them out when the centers still look soft: they firm up as they cool. Serve them with a cold glass of milk. Do you like the edge piece or the middle of the brownie?

You will need: 4 oz dark chocolate (melted), 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup chocolate chunks, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Melt the chocolate and butter together and cool slightly. 2. Whisk in sugar, eggs and vanilla. 3. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and chunks, then chill 2 hours. 4. Roll in sugar, then powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 9 to 10 minutes.

4 Ingredient Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies in Any Flavor

This is the shortcut people are searching for. Any box of cake mix, chocolate, lemon, strawberry or funfetti, plus eggs, oil and powdered sugar makes a whole batch of crinkle cookies in under 30 minutes. It is the perfect recipe for kids to help with. Make three flavors and your tray looks like you baked all weekend. For more ideas for the tray, see our Christmas shortbread cookies. Which cake mix flavor would you pick?

You will need: 1 box cake mix (any flavor), 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Stir the cake mix, eggs and oil into a thick dough. 2. Chill 30 minutes so it is easy to roll. 3. Roll 1 inch balls in powdered sugar. 4. Bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes. 5. To store, keep in a tin with wax paper between layers for 5 days, or freeze baked cookies up to 3 months.

Green Matcha Crinkle Cookies for a Red and Green Tray

Put these green crinkles next to the red velvet ones and your cookie tray turns into a Christmas card. Matcha gives a soft green color and a gentle, earthy taste that is not too sweet. Want it nuttier? Fold in chopped pistachios. These are the cookies guests ask about first, because nobody expects green crinkle cookies. Would you try a matcha cookie?

You will need: 1/2 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 3/4 cups flour, 1 1/2 tbsp matcha powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/3 cup chopped pistachios (optional), 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Beat butter and sugar, then the egg and vanilla. 2. Whisk flour, matcha, baking powder and salt and stir in. 3. Add pistachios and chill 1 hour. 4. Roll balls in powdered sugar. 5. Bake at 350 F for 10 to 11 minutes so they stay green.