Vegan Crinkle Cookies
Add Preferred SourceVegan Crinkle Cookies look like they came from an expensive bakery, but they’re one of the easiest cookies I make. That crackled white coating against dark chocolate fools everyone into thinking you spent hours on them. The centers stay incredibly fudgy, and the orange extract adds brightness to balance the rich chocolate. They’re the kind of treat that makes people stop mid-conversation to grab one.
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I bake these for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, cookie swaps, and holiday parties because they’re easy but look incredibly impressive. They’re perfect for casual gift-giving and potlucks since they travel well. Kids and adults both love the fudgy chocolate centers, making them a total crowd-pleaser. They stay fresh at room temperature for 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Vegan Crinkle Cookies with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
Here’s how to make these fudgy chocolate cookies with their signature crackled coating.
Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I like using this oven thermometer to check that my oven temperature is accurate,
Mix the Dry Ingredients
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. I use a powder sifter to get the cocoa extra smooth.
Sifting the Dutch-process cocoa powder prevents lumps and helps the cookies bake evenly.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
Whisk the plant-based yogurt, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, orange extract, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
Form the Dough
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir to combine. Don’t overmix or the cookies will turn out tough. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky, which is exactly what you want for that fudgy texture.
Shape and Coat
Roll the dough into golf ball-sized portions using a cookie scoop for uniform size. Set up your coating station with granulated sugar in one bowl and powdered sugar in another.
Roll each dough ball in granulated sugar first to create a base layer, then immediately roll it in powdered sugar for that signature white coating.
Bake to Perfection
Arrange the coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes until the tops look set and crackled.
The cookies will seem slightly underdone when you pull them out, but they’ll firm up as they cool on a cooling rack. I use my oven mitts to safely remove the hot tray from the oven.
Cool and Serve
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Moving them too soon can cause the bottoms to stick or the cookies to break apart.
Once they’re completely cool, the fudgy centers will set perfectly while keeping that soft texture, and the powdered sugar coating will firm up into those beautiful crackled lines. Enjoy!
These travel really well for cookie swaps and gift-giving. Layer them in this holiday tin, separating each layer with parchment paper to protect the powdered sugar coating, and they’ll arrive looking just as pretty as when you packed them.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 cups flour
- 1½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup soy or coconut yogurt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sugar Coating:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (190°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cups flour, 1½ cups sugar, ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, orange extract, and 1½ cups sugar until smooth.1 cup soy or coconut yogurt, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon orange extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Roll the dough into golf ball–sized balls.
- Place the granulated sugar in one bowl and the powdered sugar in another. Roll each dough ball first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar.½ cup powdered sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Arrange the coated dough balls on the baking tray.
- Bake for 12–13 minutes, then allow to cool before serving.
Notes
- Measure cocoa carefully: Dutch-process cocoa is key for the deep chocolate color and flavor. Don’t substitute natural cocoa powder, or the cookies won’t turn out as dark and rich.
- Don’t skip the double coating: Rolling in granulated sugar first helps the powdered sugar stick better and creates more dramatic cracks. Skipping straight to powdered sugar gives you less contrast.
- Use room temperature yogurt: Cold yogurt from the fridge makes the dough harder to work with. Let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes before mixing for easier rolling.
- Size matters for timing: If your dough balls are larger than golf ball size, add 1-2 minutes to the baking time. Smaller cookies will bake faster and might turn out dry.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should look slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven. They’ll continue cooking on the hot baking sheet and firm up as they cool.
- Flash freeze for storage: Freeze cookies on a baking sheet for 1 hour before transferring to containers so the powdered sugar coating doesn’t stick to other cookies or smudge.
Nutrition
How to Store Leftovers
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. A cookie jar keeps them fresh and makes a beautiful holiday countertop display.
Layer them between sheets of parchment paper when stacking to prevent the powdered sugar coating from smudging. For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To thaw, leave them at room temperature for about 30 minutes. The fudgy texture comes back perfectly, and you can dust them with extra powdered sugar if the coating looks dull after thawing. I often make a double batch and freeze half, so I always have impressive cookies ready for unexpected guests.
What to Serve With Vegan Crinkle Cookies
These pair beautifully with hot coffee, chai lattes, or cold non-dairy milk for dunking. The rich chocolate flavor works perfectly alongside the warmth of cinnamon-spiced drinks, and the orange notes complement citrus-forward teas like Earl Grey.
They’re also great on cookie platters alongside sugar cookies, gingerbread, or snickerdoodles during the holiday season. The beautiful black-and-white appearance makes them stand out visually, and the fudgy texture offers nice contrast if you’re serving crispier cookies.
More Easy Cookie Recipes for You to Try at Home
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