Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Name: Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: dessert
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons (37g) coconut oil, softened with a texture similar to softened butter; 3 tablespoons (48g) creamy cashew butter, or nut butter of choice; ½ cup coconut sugar; 1 ½ flax eggs (1.5 tablespoon flax meal + 4 tablespoons water, whisk and let set for 10 minutes); 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 ½ cups (148g) blanched almond flour; ¼ cup cacao powder; ¾ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon sea salt; ½ cup vegan chocolate chips; ⅓ cup raw turbinado sugar or coconut sugar (to roll the cookies in – you can also use organic powdered sugar for a more traditional look)

by Rachel Conners on Sep 4, 2019 (updated Mar 14, 2022) 18 comments »

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★★★★★ from 6 reviews

You’ll want to make a double batch of these Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies – one for you, and one to share! These paleo-friendly cookies are perfect for lunchboxes, the holidays, or even a weeknight dessert – thankfully, they come together quickly!

Is it holiday cookie season yet??? I might be getting a little bit ahead of myself, considering it’s still the first week of September and it’s still in the 80s here in San Diego. But I can’t help myself! Kids are back in school, it’s officially Fall, and that means that holiday cookie season isn’t that far off.

I don’t know about you, but fall is holiday cookie testing period around here. You know I love alllll the gluten-free cookie recipes! Plus all the vegan cookie recipes too ;) We’ve got to make and test all the cookies to see which ones are deserving enough to be the star of your holiday cookie platters. And these Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies? They’re definitely worthy of being the star.

Why are Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies SO good?!

These are a fan favorite around here because they are so. dang. easy. to make! If you bake gluten-free/vegan regularly, you probably already have all the ingredients on hand, too. The result of your little bit of effort makes a cookie that is:

Insanely chocolatey with a fudgy, brownie-like texture
Crispy, thanks to the sugary crackle crust
Buttery, despite being fully dairy-free and vegan

How to make CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES

1: whip together your coconut oil, cashew butter (or other nut butter), and coconut sugar until nice and fluffy

2: add the flax egg and vanilla extract- you could use 1 regular egg + 1 egg yolk if you don’t want to make a flax egg

3: add your dry ingredients and stir until it’s all combined, and then add lots of chocolate chips

4: CHILL your dough for at least 30 minutes. it will make it way easier to roll into balls and you won’t get covered in sticky chocolate dough. don’t skip this one!

5: scoop your chocolate dough into balls and roll them in raw turbinado sugar (or for a more classic look, go with organic powdered sugar). bake until puffed and crackly, and then eat one warm –> **most important step**

These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are my idea of cookie perfection, and I hope you adore these beauties as much as I do. The sugary crackle crust makes for the perfect added texture, and breaking through it into that fudgy, brownie-like center? Heaven on earth. These are perfect for lunchboxes, weeknight desserts, holiday cookie platters, gifts, or wherever else life calls for chocolatey cookies. Enjoy!

Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies –> the OG favorite around here!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies –> for the PB lover in your life!
Soft Gingerbread Cookies –> to fill out the rest of your holiday cookie platter!