Devil’s Food Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies

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🍫❄️ Devil’s Food Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies ❄️🍫
Soft in the center, slightly crisp on the edges, and beautifully crackled on top — the easiest cookies you’ll ever fall in love with.

There’s something magical about crinkle cookies. That dramatic cracked surface dusted in snowy sugar, hiding a rich, fudgy interior. And the best part? You don’t need complicated ingredients or hours in the kitchen. With just a box of Devil’s Food cake mix, you can create bakery-style cookies that taste homemade and decadent.

Perfect for holidays, bake sales, late-night cravings, or when you just want chocolate fast — these cookies never disappoint.

📜 The Sweet History of Crinkle Cookies

Crinkle cookies became popular in mid-20th-century America. Traditionally made from scratch with cocoa powder and flour, their signature cracked look comes from rolling the dough in powdered sugar before baking.

As the cookie spreads in the oven, the surface cracks, revealing dark chocolate beneath the snowy coating.

The cake mix version became popular later as a shortcut method — keeping the texture and flavor while cutting prep time in half. Convenience meets classic charm.

🛒 Ingredients

  • 1 box Devil’s Food cake mix
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
    or granulated sugar for a sparkly finish

Optional Add-Ins:

  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • ½ teaspoon espresso powder (deepens chocolate flavor)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

🥣 Preparation & Formation Method

Step 1: Preheat & Prepare

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line baking sheets with parchment paper (optional but recommended).

Step 2: Mix the Dough

In a large bowl:

  1. Add cake mix.
  2. Add vegetable oil.
  3. Add eggs.

Stir until fully combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky — this is normal.

If adding extras like chocolate chips or espresso powder, fold them in now.

Step 3: Shape the Cookies

  • Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough.
  • Roll into 1-inch balls.

Tip: Dust hands lightly with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.

Step 4: Create the Crinkle Effect

Roll each dough ball generously in powdered sugar.
Make sure it’s fully coated — this creates the dramatic crackle look.

Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

Step 5: Bake

Bake for 8–10 minutes.

The cookies should:

  • Appear cracked on top
  • Look slightly soft in the center
  • Not appear fully firm (they finish setting while cooling)

Do NOT overbake — this keeps them fudgy.

Step 6: Cool Properly

Let cookies cool on pan for 1 minute.
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

As they cool, the centers become perfectly soft and chewy.

🍪 Texture & Flavor Profile

  • Soft, brownie-like center
  • Slightly crisp edges
  • Deep chocolate richness
  • Sweet powdered sugar contrast
  • Moist and tender bite

They taste like a cross between a brownie and a cookie — the best of both worlds.

💡 Pro Baking Tips

✔ Roll heavily in powdered sugar for bold cracks
✔ Slightly underbake for fudgy texture
✔ Chill dough 20 minutes if too sticky
✔ Use parchment for easy cleanup
✔ Store in airtight container for 3–4 days

🔄 Flavor Variations & Methods

🍫 Add white chocolate chips
🍒 Add dried cherries for chocolate-cherry twist
🥜 Mix in chopped nuts
🌶 Add a pinch of cayenne for Mexican chocolate style
🍊 Add orange zest for citrus-chocolate version

You can also try:

  • Red velvet cake mix
  • Lemon cake mix
  • Strawberry cake mix

Same method — different flavor magic.

👨‍👩‍👧 Who Loves These Cookies?

  • Chocolate lovers
  • Busy parents
  • Beginner bakers
  • Holiday cookie exchange fans
  • Kids who love helping roll dough
  • Anyone who loves brownies

They’re especially popular during: 🎄 Christmas
💝 Valentine’s Day
🎉 Parties & bake sales

⏱ Time & Yield

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 8–10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: About 24 cookies

🏡 Conclusion

Devil’s Food Cake Mix Crinkle Cookies prove that delicious doesn’t have to mean complicated. With just four main ingredients, you get dramatic, bakery-style cookies that look impressive but are unbelievably simple to make.

Rich. Fudgy. Crackled. Chocolatey. 🍫❄️

Once you make them, they’ll become your go-to “quick chocolate fix” recipe.

If you’d like, I can also give you a triple chocolate stuffed crinkle version or a holiday peppermint crinkle twist next.

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