Potato Flake Sourdough Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These potato flake sourdough chocolate crinkle cookies are rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey with that classic crackled powdered sugar top. If you love a soft center, slightly crisp edges, and cookies that feel bakery-worthy but still home-baked, these are for you.

What makes these extra special is the addition of potato flake sourdough starter. It doesn’t make them sour, but it does add depth, softness, and that slow-fermented goodness I love working into our baking whenever possible.

These are a little different than a quick-mix cookie — and that’s intentional. The fermentation process and chilling time are what give you that thick, brownie-like texture instead of flat, greasy cookies. Trust the process. It’s worth it.

Why You’ll Love These Cookies

• Deep, rich chocolate flavor
• Soft, fudgy centers with crisp edges
• Naturally beautiful crackled tops
• A great way to use active or discard potato flake starter
• Perfect for holidays, gifting, or the freezer

After you read through the post, be sure to check out the free printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. The blog post is super helpful with tips and tricks, but having that printable recipe card is super practical to have on hand once you feel comfortable with the steps and have looked at the photos!

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Tools You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl)
• Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Kitchen scale (optional but helpful)
• Plastic wrap
• Cookie scoop (1 ½ tablespoon size)
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Small bowl for powdered sugar
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (100 grams)
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar (350 grams)
• ½ cup melted coconut oil or butter (100 grams)
• 4 medium eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
• ¼ cup active or discard potato flake starter
• ¾ teaspoon salt

After Fermenting

• ½–1 cup powdered sugar

Optional flavor boost:

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (added to the sugar/oil mixture)

How to Make Potato Flake Sourdough Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Mix the Dough

In a  large mixing bowl and hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and melted coconut oil (or butter).

Beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This helps insure all ingredients are well combined and evenly distributed. 

Beat in the potato flake starter, then add the vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed in. 

Add the salt and flour. Mix on low speed, just until combined. Do not overmix — the dough should be thick, sticky, and cohesive.

Ferment and Chill (Do Not Skip This Step)

Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap.

• Let the dough ferment at room temperature for at least 4 hours
• Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 more hours, up to 24 hours

This step is essential. The dough is very sticky when first mixed and must firm up before rolling. Skipping or rushing the chill time will result in flat cookies.

Scoop, Roll, and Coat

Once the dough is fully chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Place powdered sugar in a small bowl.

Using a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the chilled dough and roll it between your hands to form a smooth ball. Roll each dough ball generously in powdered sugar until fully coated.

Place cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

Only prepare enough powder sugar cookie balls that will fit on your baking tray.

Work in batches, keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator so it doesn’t warm up. You can scoop and roll dough balls ahead of time and place in the fridge, but only roll them in powdered sugar right before baking.

Bake

Place cookies in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until: you see crispy edges, the tops are puffed and cracked and the centers still look slightly wet. Do not overbake. Bake time can vary from oven to oven so keep an eye on them towards the end. 

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes until fully set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Important Baking Notes (Read This!)

• Do not rush the chilling time. Warm dough = flat cookies.
• The cookies will naturally deflate in the center as they cool — this is exactly what you want.
• A deflated center means a soft, fudgy interior, not underbaked. Don’t panic.

Tips & Tricks for the Best Results

• Use room temperature eggs for smoother mixing, cold eggs can harden the coconut oil.
• Measure cocoa powder carefully — too much can dry out the dough
• Roll cookies heavily in powdered sugar for the best crackle
• For deeper chocolate flavor, add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder to the sugar and oil mixture
• Bake on parchment paper, not greased pans

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use potato flake sourdough discard instead of active potato flake starter?

Yes. Active starter or discard both work well in this recipe. The starter is used more for texture and fermentation than rise, although it does provide some lift, so the fermentation step is important.

Will these cookies taste sour?

No. The fermentation adds depth and softness, not sourness.

Why do these cookies need to chill so long?

This dough is very sticky when first mixed. Chilling firms it up so the cookies hold their shape and bake thick instead of spreading flat.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes. The dough can chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. You can even scoop into cookie dough balls after the fermentation step and freeze them to use later. just take out, roll in the powdered sugar and bake. No need to thaw just add a minute or two to the baking time. 

How do I know when they’re done?

The edges should be set, the tops puffed and crackled, and the centers still look slightly underbaked. They’ll finish setting as they cool.

How should I store these cookies?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or freeze baked cookies for longer storage.

Pin for later and share with a friend:

These potato flake sourdough chocolate crinkle cookies are different from potato flake sourdough chocolate chip cookies or sugar cookies. The dough is almost batter like until you refrigerate it. They are the most perfectly chewy cookies that you might even need to hide from yourself! 

If you’ve been looking for a chocolate cookie that’s soft, fudgy, and a little different than your typical potato flake sourdough cookie recipes— this one deserves a spot in your baking rotation.

If you give this recipe a try, I would greatly appreciate if you came back and gave it a 5-star review! It helps me out so much! 

I also love seeing all of the delicious creations you make! Share your photo over on instagram or facebook and give me a tag @littletennesseehome