Merry Christmas! My Christmas wish is for everyone to enjoy a day filled with food, family, laughter, and love. And CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES!
These crinkle chocolate cookies are a special holiday cookie recipe that’s vegan-friendly and kid-approved.
I recently served these delightful Hot Cocoa Crinkle Cookies as part of an all vegan spread at a kindergarten classroom holiday party, and they received such rave reviews from both parents and kids alike that I couldn’t not share the recipe.
Think of it as my little Christmas gift to you 🙂
Why these Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies might turn into your new favorite holiday treat:
These hot cocoa crinkle cookies are rich with chocolatey goodness and maintain an incredibly soft and chewy texture even days after baking them.
I know because some of the leftovers came home with me and I marveled at their moistness several days later. If you like a cakey, brownie-like consistency to your cookie then these are the ones for you.
I think the secret of these chocolate crinkle cookies is in the applesauce- that can be our little secret.
But the best part has to be those adorable teeny, tiny marshmallows that puff up as they bake and add a gooey, toasted element to an already dynamite crinkle cookie.
Serve these Hot Cocoa Crinkle Cookies warm straight from the oven with a steaming mug of cocoa for the perfect wintertime treat.
And don’t skimp on the marshmallows in that cocoa, because there is no such thing as too many marshmallows.
Tips for making vegan crinkle cookies:
- You can find vegan marshmallows (I think I bought them at Whole Foods and I also linked some that you can buy on Amazon below ), but if you’re not too strict on that type of thing just use the regular variety.
- If you want to make the cookie dough ahead of time, remember that it might turn pretty solid after a long time in the fridge. Make sure you take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking so that it becomes malleable again.
- Store these in a cookie tin or an airtight container at room temperature.
Variations on this crinkle cookies recipe:
- Turn these into Mexican Hot Chocolate Crinkle Cookies by adding 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp of chili powder to the dry ingredients.
- For a peppermint chocolate crinkle cookie, add 1/2 – 1 tsp of peppermint extract to the wet mix of your cookie dough in step 2. Take the peppermint theme a step further by folding some crushed peppermint candies into the batter.
- For Mocha crinkle cookies, add 2 tsp of espresso powder along with the cocoa powder.
- If you’re not a fan of marshmallows, top the cookies with whole pistachios and dried cranberries instead.
Can I make these crinkle cookies gluten-free?
For gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies, I would recommend using gluten-free flour and baking powder. You might need to add a bit more flour to get the right consistency.
You also want to make sure the brand of marshmallows you are using is gluten-free. Some marshmallows include a starch that has gluten in it. As a rule, Jet-Puffed (Kraft) marshmallows should be gluten-free, and so are some store brands.
How long will these vegan crinkle chocolate cookies last?
These should last up to five days stored in an airtight container. Place a piece of bread or a slice of apple in the container to help them stay moist.
Can I freeze chocolate crinkle cookies?
Yes, these can be frozen in an airtight container or freezer bag with layers of parchment paper separating them. They should be ok in the freezer for about 2 months.
Thanks for reading! To keep up with my kitchen escapades, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you make these Vegan Hot Cocoa Crinkle Cookies, please share your results using the hashtag #LePetitEats!
Vegan Hot Cocoa Crinkle Cookies
These chocolatey hot cocoa crinkle cookies with a toasted marshmallow topping are vegan and absolutely delicious- perfect to make during the holiday season.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 cups sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini marshmallows for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl or electric stand mixer combine cocoa powder, sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently knead into a ball of dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough by the tablespoon into small balls.
Place the cookies on the prepared sheets and press lightly down on the tops to flatten out the cookies slightly. Bake for about 9 minutes, then remove cookies from oven and carefully press a few mini marshmallows into each cookie. Continue to bake for another 3-4 minutes or until marshmallows begin to puff and turn golden brown (cookies will look slightly under baked).
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
- You can find vegan marshmallows (I think I bought them at Whole Foods and I also linked some that you can buy on Amazon below ), but if you're not too strict on that type of thing just use the regular variety.
- If you want to make the cookie dough ahead of time, remember that it might turn pretty solid after a long time in the fridge. Make sure you take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking so that it becomes malleable again.
- Store these in a cookie tin or an airtight container at room temperature.
Hi!!! I’m making these cookies now. I think you left off a step. Once the dough comes out of the refrigerator, what do you do with it? Do you roll it out and use a cookie cutter? Or do you slice and bake them? Please advise as my daughter is bringing them to a cookie swap tonight. Looking forward to tasting them, they look delicious!
Thank you!
Hi! I’m so glad you’re making them! Sorry this step must have gotten accidentally deleted when we were converting to a new recipe card! I’ve just updated it, but you’ll want to roll them out into tablespoon sized balls and push on them gently to flatten slightly, and top with a few marshmallows. Hope you love them!
I’m very excited to make these cookies! did you use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce?
Super intrigued by this recipe – I cannot wait to see how the cookies turn out with that added applesauce!