These easy chocolate sprinkle cookies are the ultimate chocolate lover's dessert! Made with cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a coating of chocolate sprinkles, each cookie is thick, fluffy, and packed with the best chocolate flavor. Best of all, they are easy to make without a mixer and look beautiful at any party.
If you've ever made chocolate crinkle cookies, these are not much different. Instead of rolling the cookies in powdered sugar, they are coated in sprinkles for a beautiful exterior. These cookies have crinkly, crackly tops with a thick, soft, and chewy bite. They make an awesome party dessert or holiday treat, just use your favorite sprinkles for the special occasion!
The chocolate desserts don't stop with this recipe. Check out these fudgy dairy-free brownies, these chewy chocolate chip cookies, and these red velvet oreo cookies for more chocolate baking inspiration.
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Why You'll Love These Cookies
- This cookie recipe is quick and easy to make in one bowl with no mixer.
- Every bite is full of rich chocolate flavor that all chocolate lovers will adore!
- Beautiful sprinkles coat the outside, making them perfect for any holiday or party.
- The recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free friendly with simple ingredients.
- Each cookie is thick and soft inside with a delicious crunch of sprinkles.
- The best combination of chocolate and sugar cookie flavor for the ultimate dessert.
Ingredients
You only need 10 ingredients to make these cookies. Below are helpful ingredient tips. Make sure to see the recipe card at the end for all ingredient information.
- Chocolate chips - Semi-sweet chocolate chips work best. Use dark chocolate chips for a deeper chocolate flavor. Milk chocolate chips will make sweeter chocolate sugar cookies.
- Salted butter - Melt the butter with the chocolate before mixing into the dough.
- Granulated sugar - Sweetens the cookies and compliments the cocoa flavor.
- Brown sugar - Both light brown sugar and dark brown sugar work well.
- Vanilla extract - Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Eggs - Binds the ingredients and creates fluffy, soft cookies.
- Flour - Use gluten-free 1-1 baking flour for gluten-free sprinkle cookies. Regular all-purpose flour works just as well.
- Cocoa powder - Dutch-process cocoa powder provides the best chocolate flavor. Unsweetened cacao powder can also be used.
- Baking soda - Helps the cookies rise and spread in the oven.
- Sprinkles - I recommend chocolate jimmie sprinkles or rainbow sprinkles.
Step-by-Step Instructions
These cookies are so quick and easy to make without a mixer. Here are step-by-step instructions for how to make the best chocolate sprinkle cookies at home:
STEP 1: Microwave the chocolate chips and butter in 15 to 30-second intervals until smooth and melted, being sure to stir between intervals.
STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Then stir in the melted chocolate until creamy and smooth.
STEP 3: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the mixture. Stir until the dry ingredients are just combined.
STEP 4: The mixed dough will be soft and sticky, like brownie batter. Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour to firm up before baking.
STEP 5: Once the dough has chilled, scoop 1-inch cookie dough balls and roll each ball in sprinkles. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving 1-2" of space between each cookie.
STEP 6: Bake the chocolate sprinkle cookies at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and the edges are set. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
TIP: Chilling the dough is important! Don't skip this step, or your cookies will spread way too much in the oven and not be thick and fluffy. Chilling the dough allows the flour to absorb the liquid and create a richer flavor. You may need to let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before scooping the dough balls.
Expert Cookie Baking Tips
- Properly measure flour - Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off for accuracy. Avoid directly scooping the measuring cup into the flour, because this will compact it and the cookies won't spread as they should.
- Don't over-mix - Mix the dough until the ingredients are just combined. Don't mix too long or the cookies will become crispier and flatter.
- Use parchment paper - Line the baking sheet with parchment paper so the cookies bake evenly on the pan and are easy to remove.
- Don't over-bake - The cookies should be slightly underdone at first because they will continue to cook as they cool. This ensures they have a chewy center.
Easy Chocolate Cookie Variations
Here are some easy variations you can make to this cookie recipe:
- With espresso powder - Add a teaspoon of espresso powder for a slight coffee taste to compliment the dark chocolate.
- Eggless cookies - Try using flax eggs in place of eggs for an eggless version.
- With oil - You can replace the butter with melted coconut oil if desired.
- Chocolate crinkle cookies - Roll the cookie dough balls in powdered sugar for an easy crinkle cookie for the holidays.
- Dairy-free - Use vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips.
Try these easy peanut butter blossom cookies for a recipe with Hershey's Kisses!
Frequently Asked Questions
Roll the cookie dough balls in sprinkles before baking for best results. You can add extra sprinkles on the cookies when they are fresh out of the oven if desired.
Yes! You can make the cookies with milk chocolate for a sweeter taste, toning down the cocoa flavor and making it taste more like a chocolate sugar cookie.
For the ultimate chocolate flavor, use chocolate jimmy sprinkles. For a more colorful, sweeter cookie, use rainbow sprinkles or holiday sprinkles. Any sprinkle shape works well, including nonpareils, jimmies, sugar pearls, and more.
If you prefer a thin and crispy cookie instead of a thick and chewy one, bake the cookies for an extra 2-3 minutes and let them cool longer on the baking tray.
Storage & Freezing
Store leftover chocolate sprinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-7 days. This keeps them moist and fresh as long as possible.
You can freeze leftover baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 30 days. Remember to thaw the cookies for 1-2 hours before eating.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
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Recipe
Easy Chocolate Sprinkle Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Large Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper
- 1 Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips see notes*
- ⅓ cup salted butter (or dairy-free butter)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark works well
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (or regular all-purpose flour)
- ½ cup dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup chocolate jimmy sprinkles (or sprinkles of choice)
Instructions
- Start by melting the chocolate chips and butter together in a small, microwavable bowl. Microwave in 15-30 second intervals, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, ⅓ cup salted butter
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs until thoroughly combined. Then, stir in the melted chocolate until smooth.½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda until just combined. The dough will be thin like brownie batter. Cover and chill the dough for at least one hour in the fridge to firm up.1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, ½ cup dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to form evenly-sized balls of cookie dough. Roll each ball of dough in chocolate sprinkles until fully coated. Place them on the prepared baking sheet 1-2 inches apart to allow for spreading.¾ cup chocolate jimmy sprinkles
- Bake the chocolate sprinkle cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until they have spread into circular shapes, the edges appear set, and the centers have cracks forming.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before gently transferring them to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
These cookies are delicious! The chocolate flavor is super rich and indulgent. I used red and green Christmas sprinkles for a holiday party and everyone loved them! Very easy to make and I love that I don't have to get the mixer out. I will definitely make these again.
Hi Jodie, I am so happy that everyone at your holiday party loved these sprinkle cookies! The chocolate flavor is top-notch. Enjoy the recipe!
Yum! These were delicious gluten free cookies and had a rich chocolate flavor. The sprinkles were a nice touch!
Hi Beth, thanks for making this cookie recipe! I'm glad you enjoyed them. The sprinkles are always a fun addition. Enjoy!
I am obsessed with these cookies!! Seriously such a delicious flavor and easy to customize with different sprinkles. My kids kept asking for more! I used dairy free butter and they came out great.
Hi Lily, I'm so glad you and your kids loved these cookies. Great to hear they turned out well with dairy-free butter as well.
Do you have to use gluten free flour?
Hi Barbara,
No, you can use regular all-purpose flour with the same great results. Enjoy!