Description
These Christmas crinkle cookies are a festive and fudgy treat packed with rich cocoa and warm spices, highlighted by fresh orange zest. Rolled in icing sugar for a snowy crackled finish, these soft-centered cookies are perfect for holiday celebrations and easy to prepare with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 60g cocoa powder, sieved
- 200g caster sugar
- 180g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 50g icing sugar
- Pinch of salt
Wet Ingredients
- 60ml vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 oranges, zested
Instructions
- Mix wet ingredients: In a bowl, combine the sieved cocoa powder, caster sugar, and vegetable oil. Beat in the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the plain flour, baking powder, orange zest, mixed spice, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt until evenly distributed.
- Create the dough: Gradually add the dry mixture to the cocoa and egg mixture. Stir gently until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels too sticky or soft to handle, cover and refrigerate it for 1 hour to firm up.
- Prepare for baking: Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan) or gas mark 5. Pour the icing sugar into a shallow dish. Using heaped teaspoons of dough (about 20g each), roll into balls and then roll each ball in icing sugar to fully coat.
- Bake cookies: Place the sugar-coated dough balls onto one or two baking trays lined with baking parchment, spacing them evenly apart. Bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes.
- Cool and serve: Once baked, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. They will firm up but keep a fudgy texture in the center. Store in an airtight container for up to four days.
Notes
- For best results, chill the dough if it feels too soft before baking to prevent spreading.
- Ensure cookies are spaced well on the tray to avoid merging during baking.
- Use freshly sieved cocoa powder for a smoother dough.
- These cookies have a fudgy center and are best enjoyed within four days stored airtight.
- Orange zest can be substituted with lemon zest for a different citrus flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: Christmas cookies, crinkle cookies, cocoa cookies, spiced cookies, orange zest cookies, holiday baking
