It seems like friends all over the country are enjoying real snowflakes. In my Southwestern Ohio town, I’m having to be happy with the snowflakes I make in the kitchen. While some people prefer to call these crinkles, my mom called them snowflakes, and my kids are hoping for a blizzard.
It’s said that Christmas cookies originated as desserts consumed during winter solstice festivals common long before the first Christmas. As Christianity spread, the Christmas Cookie tradition became popular, as cookies could be easily given as gifts to friends and neighbors. Growing up, I remember my mom baking dozens of cookies. Her many friends and relatives would drop by for a visit, and she would artfully arrange the cookies on a tray, and brew up a pot of coffee to serve her guests. As an Italian-American, her cookie menu also included Italian favorites such as “snowballs” (technically Italian wedding cookies), pizzelles, and turdilli (which we called ‘wine cookies’). Yet, like all Americans, she often exchanged recipes with friends and neighbors, so we also ate Scandinavian Rosettes, old-fashioned gingerbread, and decorated sugar cookies.
During the pandemic, we don’t have a lot of friends dropping by. Still, we are dropping cookie plates off on porches, and looking forward to the days when we can share them with friends and family in person again.
This particular recipe has everything going for it, cookie-wise. The cookies are deeply chocolately, not too sweet, a little fudgy in the middle, and have a little crunch. Think of them like brownie bites, but better. And unlike snow outside, you don’t have to worry about eating these snowflakes!
Chocolate Snowflakes (Crinkles)
Ingredients
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 2 c sugar
- 1/2 c vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 2 t vanilla extract
- 2 c all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1/2 c dutch processed cocoa powder
- 2 t baking powder
- 1/2 t salt
- 3/4 c powdered sugar
Instructions
- Melt chocolate in double boiler.
- In a large bowl, combine chocolate, sugar, and oil until well combined.
- Add eggs and vanilla, and mix well.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to chocolate mixture until just combined. It will be very sticky and seem like it might be too wet. No worries!
- Cover dough and chill for a minimum of 2 hours, until it is firm to the touch. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment.
- Roll chilled dough into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Roll in powdered sugar, shaking off excess. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
- Bake cookies for 11-12 minutes. For crunchier cookies, bake for 12 minutes. For more fudgy cookies, bake for 11.
- After cooling, store in airproof container.