Indulge in the perfect balance of sweetness and rich white chocolate flavor with these incredibly easy-to-make White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. Their charming, cracked tops and soft, chewy centers make them a feast for both the eyes and the palate. Ideal for festive cookie exchanges, thoughtful homemade gifts, or simply a delightful treat for yourself, be warned – they disappear fast! Consider baking a double batch to ensure everyone gets to enjoy these delectable delights.
This post may contain affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure.
The Irresistible Allure of White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Crinkle cookies sometimes get a bad reputation for being excessively sweet. And it’s true: when a cookie is generously coated in sugar not just once, but multiple times, it can quickly become an overwhelming sugar bomb. However, this particular recipe for White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies defies that stereotype. It strikes a beautiful balance, offering a delightful sweetness that is perfectly complemented by the creamy, luxurious notes of high-quality white chocolate.
Beyond their exquisite taste, these cookies are a visual treat. The signature crinkled top, dusted generously with powdered sugar, creates a picturesque effect that makes them stand out on any dessert platter. They are especially perfect as Christmas cookies, adding a touch of elegance and festivity to your holiday spread. Imagine them nestled in a gift box, wrapped with a bow, or simply arranged on a plate for friends and family – their charming appearance is guaranteed to impress.
While often associated with the holiday season, these white chocolate crinkle cookies are truly a joy to bake and enjoy all year round. Their ease of preparation means you can quickly whip up a batch, chill the dough, and have freshly baked cookies ready to pop into a lunchbox, share with colleagues, or savor during an afternoon tea. This recipe is designed to be straightforward, allowing even novice bakers to achieve stunning, delicious results. The standard batch yields approximately 20 cookies, depending on your preferred size, but the recipe is easily scalable, making it simple to double or even triple if you’re hosting a larger gathering or need more for gifting.
What You’ll Love About These Easy White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Visually Stunning: These cookies boast a truly charming aesthetic with their characteristic powdered sugar coating and beautiful crackled surface, making them perfect for any special occasion or a simple sweet indulgence.
- Perfectly Balanced Flavor: Unlike many overly sweet crinkle cookies, this recipe expertly highlights the rich, creamy essence of white chocolate without being cloying. Each bite delivers a harmonious blend of sweetness and delicate chocolate notes.
- Effortless Preparation: This is truly an easy crinkle cookie recipe, requiring minimal effort and straightforward steps, making it accessible for bakers of all skill levels. The dough is quick to prepare and the chilling time ensures a perfect texture.
- Freezer-Friendly Delight: These white chocolate cookies freeze beautifully, allowing you to bake ahead for events, stock up your cookie jar, or simply enjoy a freshly thawed treat whenever the craving strikes.
- Versatile for Any Occasion: While often associated with holiday cookies, their delightful taste and appearance make them suitable for parties, everyday snacks, school lunches, or as thoughtful homemade gifts throughout the year.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Crafting these exquisite white chocolate crinkle cookies requires a few simple, high-quality ingredients that come together to create a magical flavor and texture. Here’s what you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of our cookies, providing structure and chewiness.
- Baking powder: Essential for giving the cookies a slight lift and contributing to their soft texture.
- Salt: A crucial ingredient that balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors, especially the white chocolate.
- White sugar (granulated sugar): Used in the dough for sweetness and also as the initial coating for the crinkle effect.
- Butter (softened): I typically use salted butter for an added depth of flavor, but unsalted butter works perfectly too. Just ensure it’s properly softened to cream easily with the sugars.
- Brown sugar (light brown sugar): Adds a subtle molasses flavor and helps keep the cookies soft and moist.
- Vanilla extract: While artificial vanilla extract is fine, a good quality pure vanilla extract can truly elevate the flavor profile. It complements the white chocolate beautifully.
- White chocolate: This is the star ingredient! Opt for a good-quality white chocolate bar, not chips, which often contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting smoothly. About 3.5 ounces (100 grams) will infuse these cookies with a rich, authentic white chocolate taste.
- Egg: Just one large egg is needed to bind the ingredients and add moisture to the dough.
For the Signature Crinkle Effect:
The distinctive crinkle is what makes these cookies so special. It’s achieved through a double coating of sugar:
- Powdered sugar (confectioners sugar or icing sugar): This fine sugar forms the thick, beautiful white coating that cracks during baking.
- White sugar (granulated sugar): A second round of granulated sugar helps absorb moisture and ensures a pronounced crinkle.
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Making these easy white chocolate crinkle cookies is a straightforward process, but following these steps carefully will ensure a perfect batch every time. The key to the iconic crinkle lies in the chilling and the sugar coating, so don’t skip those crucial parts!
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly to ensure even distribution, which is vital for consistent texture in your cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, combine the softened butter, granulated white sugar, and light brown sugar. Beat them together on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and smooth. Remember to pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Melt and Add White Chocolate: Gently melt the good-quality white chocolate. This can be done in a microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, or over a double boiler. Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly (it shouldn’t be hot) before drizzling it into the butter-sugar mixture in your stand mixer. Mix until just combined.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Add the single egg and vanilla extract to the mixture. Beat well until everything is thoroughly combined and the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the whisked flour mixture to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer. Beat on low speed until the flour is just combined and no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap the cookie dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour. Chilling is essential as it firms up the dough, making it easier to handle and preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking. It also allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Parchment paper prevents sticking and ensures even baking.
- Set Up Sugar Stations: Pour the granulated white sugar into one shallow dish and the powdered sugar into a second, separate shallow dish. These will be your coating stations.
- Shape and Double Coat: Scoop out approximately 1.5 tablespoons of the chilled dough and roll it between your palms to form a smooth ball. First, roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar, ensuring an even coating. Then, roll the sugar-coated ball thoroughly in the powdered sugar, ensuring a thick, generous coating. Repeat this process for all the dough balls. Set them aside on the prepared baking sheets.
- Final Powdered Sugar Roll (for maximum crinkle): Just before placing the cookies in the oven, roll each ball a final time in the powdered sugar. Gently press them down a little to ensure an even, thick layer of sugar. This final, thick coating is the secret to achieving those beautiful, pronounced crinkles as the cookies bake and expand.
- Bake to Perfection: Arrange the sugar-coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for approximately 16-18 minutes, or until the cookies have visibly crinkled, are set around the edges, but are still very soft in the center and not browned on the bottom.
- Cool and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling time on the tray helps them firm up without breaking. Once cooled, they are ready to be savored!
Chef Jenn’s Expert Tips for Crinkle Cookie Perfection
Achieving the perfect white chocolate crinkle cookie is simpler than you think with a few expert insights. Here are Chef Jenn’s essential tips to ensure your cookies turn out beautifully crinkled, tender, and bursting with flavor:
- Scrape the Bowl Thoroughly: During the mixing process, especially when creaming butter and sugars and later when adding the melted white chocolate, it’s crucial to pause and scrape down the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl with a spatula. This ensures all ingredients are fully incorporated, preventing pockets of unmixed butter or sugar that can affect the texture and evenness of your cookies.
- The Secret to a Deep Crinkle: The hallmark of a great crinkle cookie is its prominent, fractured surface. This effect is achieved through a thick and generous coating of powdered sugar. Don’t be shy – the cookie dough ball should be completely caked in powdered sugar, with no patches of dough showing through. The more powdered sugar, the more dramatic the crinkle!
- Timing Your Sugar Coating: For the most pronounced crinkle, wait until just before you’re ready to bake to give the cookie dough balls their final roll in powdered sugar. If you coat them too early, the sugar can absorb moisture from the dough and dissolve, diminishing the crinkle effect.
- Cooling Rack Patience: Once baked, resist the urge to immediately transfer your cookies to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. This critical step allows them to set and firm up, preventing them from breaking apart when you move them. After 10 minutes, they’ll be sturdy enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Quality White Chocolate Matters: For the best flavor, use a good-quality white chocolate bar that you chop yourself, rather than white chocolate chips. Chips often contain less cocoa butter and more stabilizers, which can affect how smoothly they melt and integrate into the dough.
- Don’t Overbake: White chocolate crinkle cookies should be just set on the edges but still appear soft and slightly underbaked in the center. They will continue to cook slightly from residual heat once removed from the oven. Overbaking leads to dry, hard cookies and less distinct crinkles.
Storage and Freezing Your Delicious Crinkle Cookies
These white chocolate crinkle cookies are so good, you’ll want to make sure they last! Proper storage ensures they retain their wonderful texture and flavor.
- Room Temperature Storage: Once completely cooled, store your baked White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. To keep them extra fresh and prevent them from drying out, you can place a slice of bread in the container; the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: These cookies freeze beautifully! To freeze, arrange the fully cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for about an hour until solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe plastic bag, a cookie tin, or another airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature for an hour or two.
- Freezing Cookie Dough: You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough. After rolling the dough into balls and coating them in the granulated sugar (but *before* the powdered sugar), flash freeze them until solid. Then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When ready to bake, thaw the dough balls slightly, then proceed with the double powdered sugar coating and bake as directed, adding a minute or two to the baking time if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crinkle Cookies
Here are some common questions about making and enjoying crinkle cookies, with helpful answers to guide you.
The magic of the crinkle effect comes from a generous layering of sugar. First, the cookie dough balls are rolled in granulated white sugar. Then, they get a double dip – a thick, even coating – in powdered sugar. As the cookies bake, they expand, and the outer layer of powdered sugar resists this expansion, causing it to crack and create that signature crinkled texture. The key is to ensure the powdered sugar coating is thick and applied just before baking.
Absolutely! Most cookies, including these white chocolate crinkle cookies, freeze exceptionally well. For baked cookies, ensure they are completely cooled, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 1-2 months. You can also freeze the dough balls (after their initial granulated sugar roll) for future baking. Just thaw and enjoy!
Yes, they are surprisingly easy! The process involves basic cookie-making steps with the added fun of rolling them in sugar. The most challenging part for some might be getting past the idea that you’re rolling them in “too much” sugar. But trust the process – those layers of sugar are essential for creating the beautiful crinkles. Don’t be afraid to press that powdered sugar on!
For the richest flavor and smoothest texture, we highly recommend using a high-quality white chocolate bar, rather than standard white chocolate chips. White chocolate bars typically have a higher percentage of cocoa butter, which contributes to a superior taste and a creamy melt. Chips often contain ingredients designed to hold their shape, which can make them less ideal for melting into dough.
Several factors can cause cookies to spread excessively. Ensure your butter isn’t too soft or melted when creaming it. Crucially, the dough needs to be properly chilled for at least an hour (or longer) before baking. If the dough is too warm, it will spread before the crinkle can set. Also, make sure your powdered sugar coating is very thick and applied just before baking to give the crinkle the best chance to form.
Step By Step Visual Guide
Love this recipe? Sign up for our newsletter to save it and get more delicious recipes from Chef Jenn delivered to your inbox every week!
White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Light, crinkled, and full of white chocolate flavor, these White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, but they’re also great in lunch boxes or just with a cup of coffee.
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Keyword: christmas cookies, cookies, crinkle cookies, white chocolate, white chocolate crinkle cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 31 minutes
Servings: 20 cookies
Calories: 89 kcal
Author: Chef Jenn
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp)
- 1/4 cup butter (salted or unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (light brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3.5 ounces white chocolate (about 100 grams)
- 1 egg
For the crinkle coating:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine.
- Add the butter and sugars to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and beat until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Melt the chocolate slowly in the microwave (in 20-second intervals) and then drizzle the cooled chocolate into the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until combined.
- Add the egg and mix well to combine.
- Add the flour mixture to the cookie dough and beat on low speed until combined.
- Wrap the crinkle cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill it for about an hour.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Pour the white granulated sugar into one shallow dish, and the powdered sugar into a second dish.
- Scoop 1.5 tablespoons balls of dough and roll them between your hands to make balls. Then, roll the ball in the granulated sugar to coat them evenly. Then, roll the ball in the powdered sugar, then set it aside. Repeat until all the balls have been rolled in powdered sugar.
- Roll the balls a final time in the powdered sugar, pressing them down gently to ensure a good, thick coating of sugar. This will create the crinkle effect.
- Bake the cookies balls about 2-inches apart for about 16-18 minutes until the cookies are crinkled and set but not browned on the bottom.
- Cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes then transfer the cookies to a cooling wrack until fully cooled. Enjoy!
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Scraping the bowl down as you mix is important to make sure that all the ingredients are properly combined. Turn the mixer off, and use a spatula to scrape down the inside of the bowl and to scrape off the paddle.
- The key to a good crinkle on your crinkle cookies is a thick layer of powdered sugar. It should be caked onto the cookie dough ball.
- Don’t coat the cookies in the crinkle coating until just before baking to ensure you get the best crinkle effect.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 89 kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 11mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 71IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.4mg
A Note on Nutritional Information: Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
More Sweet Delights You’ll Love
- Steaks on the Blackstone
- Smoked Lamb Chops
- Leftover Roast Beef Stroganoff
- Smoked Asparagus
- Smoked Shotgun Shells
Whether you’re looking for the perfect Christmas cookie, a delightful treat for a lunchbox, or simply a comforting snack with your coffee, these White Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are sure to hit the spot. Their exquisite balance of sweetness and rich white chocolate, combined with their charming appearance and straightforward preparation, makes them an absolute must-try. Don’t hesitate to whip up a batch (or two!) and share the joy. Happy baking!