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A cup of coffee sits next to a stack of Vegan Crinkle Cookies, dusted with powdered sugar, on a light surface.

Vegan Crinkle Cookies

Vegan Crinkle Cookies are my go-to when I want cookies that look bakery-fancy but come together easily with simple ingredients. The fudgy chocolate centers stay soft and rich, while a hint of orange extract brightens everything up that makes everyone ask for the recipe. I bake these for Christmas, cookie swaps, holiday parties, and gift-giving because they travel well, look incredibly impressive, and everyone loves them. They stay fresh at room temperature for 4 days or freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Vegan Crinkle Cookies
Servings: 40 cookies
Calories: 99kcal
Author: Mandy Applegate

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
US Customary - Metric

Video

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="z2vf4Vsc" upload-date="2025-12-15T05:29:54+00:00" name="Classic Vegan Crinkle Cookies" description="Cozy, chocolatey treat perfect for holidays or gifting." player-type="default" override-embed="default"]

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

Here are my best tips for perfect vegan crinkle cookies every time:
  • 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

Calories: 99kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 65mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
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