Why it works: Chocolate and vanilla are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 10,020 recipes. Both carry sotolon, which smells curry, maple. The science ↓
Chocolate Crinkles
36–48Ingredients
Directions
Make the dough
Mix oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar.
Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed, then add vanilla.
Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into chocolate mixture.
Chill several hours or overnight.
Shape and bake
Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into confectioners' sugar.
Roll in sugar; shape into balls.
Place about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased baking sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Chocolate | 1 oz (28g) semisweet | 155 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Vanilla | 1 tsp extract (4ml) | 12 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Chocolate + vanillatop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,020 recipes
Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
-
Sugar + vanillatop 8% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together35,032 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
-
Vanilla + flourtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together19,241 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Chocolate + sugartop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,404 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Sugar + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together92,116 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
Sugar and vanilla barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 35,032 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Bind the dough and add structure and moisture as they set in the oven.
- All purpose flour
- Provides the structure that holds the cookies together as they bake.
- Baking powder
- Releases gas in the oven so the cookies rise and puff.
- White granulated sugar
- Adds sweetness and helps create the crisp, cracked surface.
- Vegetable oil
- Adds fat that keeps the cookies moist and tender.
- Unsweetened chocolate
- Supplies the chocolate flavor and deep color of the cookies.
The step that matters
Chill the dough. The dough is soft and sticky when mixed. Chilling firms the fat so the balls hold their shape, and the cold dough spreads less in the oven.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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