Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are fudgy, festive, and impossibly easy! Perfect chocolate crinkle cookies recipe for holidays or any day you need chocolate.

Last December, I was knee-deep in holiday baking when my daughter asked if we could make “those pretty snow cookies” she’d seen at her friend’s house. You know the ones—deeply chocolatey, rolled in powdered sugar, with those gorgeous cracks that look like fresh snowfall?

I’ll be honest, I panicked a little. Could I really pull off the BEST gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies without them turning into flat, sad pancakes?

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These gluten free Christmas cookies check every single box. They’re deeply chocolatey without being overly sweet, they photograph beautifully for your holiday Instagram posts, and they actually stay soft for days (if they last that long).

The best part? You don’t need any fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. Just good cocoa powder, a reliable gluten free flour blend, and a bit of patience while the dough chills.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, using certified gluten-free ingredients is essential for those with celiac disease, so always double-check your labels.

I love making these with my kids because the rolling-in-powdered-sugar part is messy, fun, and basically foolproof. Even my pickiest eater will help when cookies are involved, you know?

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup avocado oil (can substitute another neutral-tasting oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil)
• 1 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder (96 grams)
• 1 1/2 cups cane sugar (300 grams)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups gluten free measure-for-measure flour (210 grams)
• 1 cup powdered sugar for rolling (or more, if needed) (120 grams)

Instructions

Combine. In a large bowl (or a stand mixer), combine oil, cocoa powder, and sugar. Stir until well-combined. It’ll look like very dark wet sand—that’s exactly what you want! Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing in-between each addition to incorporate well. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Add salt, baking powder, and gluten free flour. Stir until just combined.

Chill the dough 3-4 hours (or overnight). Do NOT skip this step, or your cookies will spread too much in the oven. I usually make the dough in the morning and bake after dinner, or mix it up before bed and bake the next day.

Preheat & Prep. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and place powdered sugar in a bowl.

Scoop & Roll Cookie Dough. Use a scoop or a tablespoon to roll out 1″ balls of chilled dough. Roll each cookie dough ball in powdered sugar to coat well. Don’t be shy with that sugar—you want a generous coating for those beautiful cracks.

Bake Cookies. Place 8-12 coated cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, or until just the edges are set and the centers are still wet. They’ll look underdone, but trust the process!

Cool. Allow the cookies to cool 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet to allow them to continue to set, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Repeat with remaining dough until all the cookies are baked.

Serve & Store. Enjoy cookies right away, or store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days. Or, freeze 2-3 months.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Let’s talk about what makes these chocolate crinkle cookies recipe work so beautifully. The Dutch-processed cocoa powder is key for that deep, dark chocolate flavor—regular cocoa will work, but you won’t get quite the same richness. I use King Arthur brand, but any high-quality Dutch cocoa will do.

For the gluten free measure-for-measure flour, I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure, and both work wonderfully. These blends already contain xanthan gum, which helps give the cookies gluten free their structure. If you’re using a blend without xanthan gum, add 1/2 teaspoon.

The avocado oil keeps these cookies incredibly moist without adding any flavor. You can swap it for melted coconut oil, vegetable oil, or even melted butter if you’re not dairy-free. One reader told me she used light olive oil in a pinch, and they turned out great!

Don’t have cane sugar? Regular granulated sugar works just fine in this chocolate crinkle cookies recipe. And if you want to reduce the sugar slightly, you can drop it to 1 1/4 cups, though they won’t be quite as sweet.

Troubleshooting Tips

The number one question I get about these gluten free Christmas cookies is: “Why did my cookies spread too much?” Almost always, it’s because the dough wasn’t chilled long enough. I know it’s tempting to skip that step, but cold dough is what keeps these cookies thick and fudgy instead of flat and crispy.

If your cookies are cracking too much or looking dry, your dough might be a bit thick. Try adding an extra tablespoon of oil to the batter next time. Gluten free baking can be a little finicky with humidity levels, so small adjustments help.

Are your cookies coming out cakey instead of fudgy? You might be overbaking them. Remember, they should look slightly underdone when you pull them from the oven. Those centers will firm up as they cool, giving you that perfect fudgy texture.

Not getting those gorgeous cracks in your chocolate crinkle cookies recipe? Make sure you’re using enough powdered sugar when rolling. I’m talking a really generous coating—don’t dust it off! The sugar creates that beautiful crackled effect as the cookies bake and expand.

Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

These cookies gluten free keep beautifully at room temperature for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Stack them with parchment paper between layers if you’re worried about them sticking together, though honestly, they usually disappear too quickly for that to be an issue.

Want to freeze them? These gluten free Christmas cookies freeze wonderfully for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then layer in a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.

Here’s my favorite trick for holiday prep: make the dough up to 3 days ahead and keep it chilled in the fridge. Then you can bake fresh cookies whenever you need them. The dough also freezes beautifully for up to 2 months—just scoop it into balls first, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.

If you’re bringing these chocolate crinkle cookies recipe to a cookie exchange or party, I recommend baking them the morning of or the night before. They’re at their absolute best within the first 24 hours, though they’re still delicious for several days.

Serving Suggestions

These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies are perfect on their own with a glass of cold milk, but they’re also amazing alongside a cup of hot coffee or peppermint tea. During the holidays, I love serving them on a platter with soft gluten-free dinner rolls for a sweet and savory spread.

They’re also fantastic crumbled over vanilla ice cream or used to make ice cream sandwiches. My kids love dipping them in milk until they’re almost falling apart—messy, but worth it!

For a holiday dessert board, pair these cookies gluten free with delicious gluten-free pumpkin squares and some fresh berries. The contrast of textures and flavors is absolutely perfect.

Want to make them extra special? Serve them warm with a dusting of extra powdered sugar and a side of vanilla ice cream. Pure magic.

Variations & Dietary Adjustments

This chocolate crinkle cookies recipe is already gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free (just use a plant-based oil, which the recipe already calls for!). But here are some fun twists to try:

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkles: Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract along with the vanilla. These are perfect for gluten free Christmas cookies!

Espresso Chocolate Crinkles: Stir 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder into the cocoa mixture. The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor beautifully.

Kid-Friendly Mini Cookies: Roll the dough into 1/2″ balls instead of 1″. Reduce baking time to 6-7 minutes. Little hands love little cookies!

Double Chocolate: Fold in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips after adding the flour. You really can’t have too much chocolate in cookies gluten free, right?

Orange Chocolate: Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to the dough for a sophisticated twist. These are stunning for holiday parties.

According to research on gluten-free baking, using quality flour blends and proper technique yields results indistinguishable from traditional baked goods—and these cookies are proof!

The BEST Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies FAQs

Final Thoughts

These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies have become such a staple in our home that I make them year-round, not just during the holidays. There’s something so satisfying about pulling a tray of these beauties from the oven, with their crackled powdered sugar coating and that incredible chocolate aroma filling the kitchen.

Whether you’re baking for a holiday cookie swap, a weekend treat, or just because you deserve something chocolate and wonderful, this chocolate crinkle cookies recipe delivers every single time. And if you’re looking for more gluten-free favorites, you’ve got to try how to make gluten-free crab rangoon—because life’s too short to skip the good stuff!

Happy baking, friend. I hope these cookies gluten free bring as much joy to your kitchen as they do to mine. And remember—the powdered sugar mess is totally worth it.