Make the Cookie Dough

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cocoa powder, light-brown sugar, granulated sugar and oil. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Set the bowl aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually, adding 1/3 of the mixture at a time, incorporate dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until combined with no streaks of flour. But don’t over-mix! Scrape bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
4. IMPORTANT: Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. For recipe success, the dough must be chilled all the way through. 

Bake the Cookies

RECIPE PREP: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Add granulated sugar to a small bowl. Add powdered sugar to a second bowl. 

1. The cold dough will be thick and a little sticky. If the dough gets too hard to handle, put it in the freezer for 10 minutes. With a small metal scoop, portion dough into roughly-shaped 1-inch pucks.
2. Drop each puck directly from the metal scoop into the granulated sugar. Roll to coat. This step makes the dough easier to handle and shape. With your fingertips, pat the puck into a ball. Work with 5 to 6 pucks at a time in the granulated sugar. Then roll the balls in the powdered sugar, coating generously. 
3. Place the coated balls on a prepared baking tray.  Leave 2 1/2 inches of space between each cookie. Wipe your hands clean with a damp cloth, and continue. (Between batches, return the bowl of dough to the refrigerator to keep it chilled.)
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Allow the treats to cool on the baking tray for 1 minute. Transfer crackle cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.