These homemade chocolate wafer cookies are easy to make, richly flavored, and an excellent replacement for the discontinued Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers. Thin and crisp, they balance deep cocoa and sweetness perfectly. Enjoy them on their own or use them in desserts that call for wafer cookies, like icebox cakes and no-bake pies.
For a time-saving option, try the slab-baking shortcut: bake the dough in a single thin sheet, then break or grind it for an ideal chocolate crumb crust without individually cutting dozens of cookies.
Have you ever reached for chocolate wafer cookies while assembling a dessert only to find none in the pantry? After Nabisco stopped making their Famous Chocolate Wafers, many bakers have been missing that thin, crunchy chocolate layer. This homemade version uses pantry-friendly ingredients and a few technique tweaks to recreate the thin crisp texture and deep chocolate flavor of those classic wafers.
The recipe evolved through testing. Early trials borrowed from chocolate tart dough and produced tasty cookies, but they lacked the darker color and snap. Removing the egg yolk, adjusting fats, and combining butter with a neutral oil helped deliver flat, crisp wafers with a richer chocolate taste. A small amount of black cocoa added to Dutch-process cocoa is the key to achieving the signature deep color and slightly roasted cocoa flavor that make these wafers so close to the originals.
If you plan to use these wafers for a crumb crust, the slab method saves a lot of time. Rolling and baking one thin slab eliminates cutting individual cookies you’ll later grind. Once cooled, the slab breaks into perfect crumbs for a chocolate wafer crust.
These wafers work well in layered desserts, chocolate crumb crusts for cheesecakes and no-bake pies, icebox cakes, ice cream sandwiches, or simply as a snack. They store and freeze well, so they’re easy to make ahead.
Yield
One batch yields:
- About 34 round cookies (2 inches / 5 cm each)
- Approximately 225 grams (8 ounces), or about 2 cups, of finely ground cookie crumbs
- Enough crumbs for a single 9-inch chocolate crumb crust
Ingredients
See the ingredient list below for precise measurements. Using a digital scale is recommended for best, consistent results.
- 100 grams all-purpose flour
- 15 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted
- 10 grams black cocoa powder, sifted (adds signature color and intensity)
- 54 grams granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (adjust if using Morton)
- 56 grams unsalted butter, melted and warm (not hot)
- 15 mL neutral vegetable oil
- 5 mL pure vanilla extract
Notes on key ingredients: Dutch-process cocoa gives a rounded, mild acidity-free chocolate flavor; black cocoa contributes the very dark color and that slightly smoky profile associated with classic wafer cookies. If black cocoa is unavailable, use more Dutch-process cocoa, but expect a lighter color and a slightly different flavor.
Instructions
These step-by-step instructions will guide you through making the dough, shaping, and baking. Visual cues are helpful, but the written steps contain the essential details.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
2. Combine flour, Dutch-process cocoa, black cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until evenly blended.
3. Add the melted butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Pulse until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the processor to ensure no pockets of butter remain.
Crucial dough texture check: Pinch a small amount of dough. It should hold together and feel smooth. If it is dry and crumbly, add melted butter 1 teaspoon at a time (mixing briefly after each addition) until it binds. Do not add more than 3 teaspoons (1 tablespoon) total.
4. Turn the mixture onto a large piece of parchment. Fold the parchment edges in to press the crumbs together into a flat square or rectangle. Cover with a second piece of parchment.
5. Roll the dough to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness using pastry guides or an even hand. Chill the rolled dough in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm before cutting.
6. Remove the top parchment layer and use a cutter or a knife to cut shapes. If the dough softens while cutting, transfer the parchment to a baking sheet and chill 5–10 minutes.
7. Transfer cutouts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Return to the freezer for 10 minutes right before baking.
8. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 11–13 minutes until the centers are set, no longer glossy, and your kitchen smells of rich chocolate. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before moving; they are fragile when hot.
Shaping the dough
This dough is versatile—choose the shaping method that matches your final use.
- Round, square, or rectangular wafers — Great for icebox cakes, sandwich cookies, or ice cream sandwiches. For straight-sided layers that fit pans neatly, use a square or rectangular cutter or trim straight lines with a ruler and a knife.
- One large slab for crumbs — If you plan to grind the wafers into crumbs, roll and bake one large thin slab. Once cooled, break it into chunks and pulse in a food processor or crush in a bag with a rolling pin to make crumbs for a crust.
- Cut-to-fit slabs — Roll a slab and use the pan you plan to fill as a guide to cut pre-baked shapes that fit precisely. For precise layers and less re-rolling, consider cutting before baking so scraps can be re-rolled.
Frequently asked questions
Chocolate wafer cookies are very thin, crisp chocolate cookies with intense cocoa flavor. They’re commonly used crushed for crusts, layered with whipped cream in icebox cakes, or sandwiched around ice cream.
Yes. A food processor is quick and convenient, but you can also use a stand mixer or mix by hand. If mixing by hand, sift dry ingredients first for even distribution. A food processor can handle up to twice the recipe without overloading; for larger batches, use a stand mixer.
Serving ideas
Ideas for using these wafers:
- Crusts — Grind baked wafers for a chocolate crumb crust for cheesecakes and no-bake pies. These wafers contain more fat than many packaged wafers, so follow a tested crust ratio for best texture.
- Icebox cakes — Layer wafers with lightly sweetened whipped cream or pudding, chill, and let the cookies soften into cake-like layers.
- Chocotorta — These wafers work beautifully in the classic Argentine no-bake chocotorta layered with dulce de leche and cream cheese.
- Ice cream sandwiches — Sandwich softened ice cream between two wafers, freeze until firm, and wrap for storage.
- Sandwich cookies — Pipe buttercream or ganache between two wafers for a refined treat.
Equipment
Helpful tools for consistent results:
- Pastry guides — Use guides or another consistent method to roll the dough to 1/8 inch (3 mm) for even baking.
- Round and straight cutters — A small round cutter or square cutter works well for wafer shapes. A sharp knife and ruler can also produce clean rectangles or squares.
- Baking sheets — Light-colored, heavy-duty aluminum baking sheets give the most even baking. Dark pans can be used but may brown cookies faster.
Storage
Baked cookies: Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months.
Dough: Refrigerate wrapped dough up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before rolling. Baking a double batch and freezing extras is a convenient option.
Recipe tips
- Before cutting, loosen the dough from both sides of the parchment: remove the top layer, replace it loosely, flip the dough, and remove the bottom sheet to prevent sticking.
- Dark cookies can be hard to judge visually. Trust your nose: when your kitchen smells like rich, buttery chocolate and the dough surface is no longer glossy, they are done. A light press in the center should feel set.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet; they firm up as they cool and are fragile when hot.
- If a crumb crust is your goal, remember these wafers contain more fat than many packaged versions, so they require less added butter when forming a crust. Use a tested crust recipe for proportions.
Recipe
Chocolate Wafer Cookies
Prep time: 35 minutes | Cook time: 12–13 minutes | Chill time: 15 minutes | Total time: ~1 hour 5 minutes
Yields: 34 round cookies (2 inches each)
Ingredients
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 15 g Dutch-process cocoa, sifted
- 10 g black cocoa, sifted
- 54 g granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp baking soda, sifted
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 56 g unsalted butter, melted and warm
- 15 mL neutral vegetable oil
- 5 mL vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Combine flour, Dutch cocoa, black cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until blended.
- Add melted butter, oil, and vanilla. Pulse until the mixture comes together, scraping the bowl to incorporate any pockets of butter.
- Check texture by pressing a small amount together: it should hold. If crumbly, add melted butter 1 teaspoon at a time (up to 3 teaspoons total) until it binds.
- Turn dough onto parchment and press into a flat square or rectangle. Cover with another sheet of parchment and roll to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness.
- Freeze the rolled dough on a baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove the top parchment and cut shapes. If dough softens, chill briefly before cutting.
- Transfer cutouts to a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake 11–13 minutes until centers are set and surface is no longer glossy. Cool completely on the baking sheet.
The original version of this recipe was posted in February 2022 and updated with refinements in April 2025 to improve ingredients and technique.