Impossibly-fudgy Brownie Cookies that taste like brownies but in cookie form. Chewy centers, crackly tops, and deep chocolate flavor.
This Brownie Cookie recipe is a dream for chocolate lovers (and fans of my chewy brownie recipe). The secret is underbaking them slightly. Pull them when the centers still look soft. They firm up as they cool but stay chewy inside.
Brownie Cookies Ingredients
Here’s what you need for these fudgy chocolate cookies.
- Unsalted Butter: Use softened butter, not melted. Here’s how to quickly bring ingredients to room temperature.
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar gives these cookies their signature crackly tops.
- Eggs: Two large eggs add structure and richness.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla, not imitation, for the best flavor.
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level for accuracy, or use a kitchen scale.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch process or natural both work. Dutch-process cocoa powder gives a darker brownie batter color.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Both are needed for the perfect chewy texture.
- Salt: A little in the batter enhances the chocolate flavor, and I LOVE a little flaky salt on top, too (optional, of course).
- Chocolate: I prefer to use chopped Swiss dark chocolate bars, but you could use high-quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (like ghirardelli). reserve some for pressing on top of the cookies before the final bake.
Full recipe quantities listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the article.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are some easy ways to switch things up.
- Mint chocolate: Use chopped mint chocolate bars instead of regular chocolate chips or try my fan-favorite Mint Chocolate Cookies or Candy Cane Cookies instead.
- Espresso powder: Add 1 tsp espresso powder to the dry ingredients. It deepens the chocolate flavor without making them taste like coffee. (Same with my famous Moist Chocolate Cake).
- Sea salt topping: Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top right after baking for a sweet-salty contrast. This would be great on my Double Chocolate Muffins, too.
- Nuts: Fold in 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans with the chocolate chips.
- Gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. If you’re baking for GF chocolate lovers, you’ll also love my flourless chocolate cake.
Grab These Tools
Here’s what you’ll need to make these cookies.
- Electric mixer: A stand mixer or hand mixer makes creaming the butter much easier.
- Two baking sheets: Line them with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Two mixing bowls: One for wet ingredients, one for dry.
- Whisk: For combining the dry ingredients evenly.
- Small Cookie scoop: Optional but helpful for uniform cookies.
- Wire cooling rack: Prevents soggy bottoms.
- Round glass or jar: For reshaping warm cookies into perfect circles.
How to Make Brownie Cookies: An Easy Guide
These come together fast and don’t require chill time. I press extra chocolate chunks on top halfway through baking. It looks beautiful and adds pockets of melty chocolate in every bite.
Prep Your Pans and Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.
Cream the Butter and Sugar
Beat softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Keep going for about 5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step creates the crackly tops.
Add the Wet Ingredients
Add eggs and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until everything is well combined.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisking distributes the leaveners evenly so every cookie rises the same.
Combine and Add Chocolate
Add the flour mixture to the mixer and beat until just combined. Don’t overmix. Fold in most of the chocolate chips, saving some for the tops.
Shape and Bake
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls or scoop with a cookie scoop. Place them 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 6 minutes.
The Bang and Press Trick
Remove the pan from the oven and firmly bang it on the counter. This deflates the cookies and creates that brownie-like crackly top. Press reserved chocolate chips into each cookie center. Return to the oven for 3 more minutes.
Cool Properly
The cookies will look underdone. That’s perfect. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. They firm up as they cool but stay fudgy inside.
5 Common Mistakes When Making Brownie Cookies
Here are the most frequent mix-ups to avoid when making brownie cookies:
- Using over-softened butter: Room temperature butter creates air pockets during creaming. Melted/over-softened butter makes flat, greasy cookies.
- Overbaking: These should look slightly underdone when you pull them. The edges will be set but the centers still soft. They continue cooking on the hot pan.
- Skipping the pan bang: Banging the pan on the counter deflates the cookies and creates those signature crackly tops. Don’t skip this step.
- Measuring flour wrong: Scooping from the bag directly canadd too much flour to the batter. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off, or use a kitchen scale.
- Not creaming long enough: Five minutes of creaming seems like a lot, but it’s essential. This step incorporates air and creates the crackly brownie texture you want.
Make Ahead and Storage
These cookies keep well and actually taste even better the next day.
Storing Leftover Cookies
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Keep them soft: Add a slice of bread to the container. It keeps the cookies chewy.
- Avoid the fridge: The refrigerator dries out baked goods faster.
Freezing
- Baked cookies: Freeze in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Good for up to 3 months.
- Cookie dough: Roll dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet. Transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
- Thawing: Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Reheating Brownie Cookies
- Microwave: 10 seconds makes them warm and gooey again.
- Oven: Warm at 300°F for 5 minutes if you want to crisp up the edges slightly.
FAQs About Brownie Cookies
Just skimming through? Here are some quick answers to the commonly-asked questions.
Crackly tops come from proper creaming. Beat the butter and sugar for a full 5 minutes on medium speed. The mixture should look light and fluffy. Skipping this step or rushing it prevents the cracks from forming.
Yes, Dutch process cocoa powder works great in brownie cookies. It gives a darker color and slightly milder flavor. Natural cocoa works too and has a more intense chocolate taste. Both produce excellent results.
Brownie cookies are done when the edges look dry and crackly but the centers still appear soft and slightly underdone. They’ll firm up as they cool. Overbaked cookies will be cakey instead of fudgy.
Yes, brownie cookie dough freezes beautifully. Roll the dough into balls and freeze on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes.
Banging the pan on the counter halfway through baking deflates the cookies. This creates the signature crackly top that makes brownie cookies look so beautiful. It also helps them spread into that perfect flat shape.
I recommend dark chocolate chips for brownie cookies. Milk chocolate has more sugar and can scorch easily at high temperatures. If you prefer milk chocolate, add the chips only at the end when pressing into the tops.
This brownie cookie recipe makes about 36 cookies when rolled into 1-inch balls. For larger bakery-style cookies, use a 2-tablespoon (1 ounce) medium cookie scoop and you’ll get about 24 cookies. Adjust baking time accordingly for larger cookies.
Brownie Cookies (SO Rich and Fudgy)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups chopped dark chocolate bars (60-72% cocoa) or semisweet chocolate chips
- a few pinches of flaky salt (like maldon) optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer (with the paddle attachment if using a standing mixer), beat butter and sugar in large bowl for 5 minutes on medium speed. Pause twice to scrape down sides of bowl and beater. Add eggs and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute more, pausing twice more to scrape down bowl and beater.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to mixer on low and beat until just combined. Stir in 3/4 of the chocolate, reserving the rest for topping the cookies.
- Form dough into 1-inch balls. For the nicest appearance, roll the dough balls between your palms to make them smooth. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake cookies 6 minutes, then remove them from the oven, bang the pan firmly on the counter to deflate them, and press a few more chocolate chips or chunks into the centers. Continue baking until edges begin to firm but center still appears soft, about 3 more minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes then transfer cookies to cooling rack.Sprinkle with flaky salt, if you like, while the cookies are still warm.
Notes
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- Here are my best tips on How to Quickly Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature.
- I find chilling the dough unnecessary for this recipe, but if your first batch spreads, you can chill the rest. (For future reference, that usually means you didn’t cream your butter and sugar for long enough or your butter was too soft!)
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- As soon as they come out of the oven, use an overturned glass to re-shape the cookies into perfect circles (see video).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Dear HEAVENS these are good.
I did your trick that you did on Instagram and made a thumbprint in the middle for pistachio cream as soon as they came out of the oven. SO GOOD!
These are so fudgy and delicious. I love that I didn’t need to chill them and they were still perfect.
Made a double batch for a cookie exchange and got asked for the recipe four times.
These were a huge hit! I followed the instructions exactly and they came out super fudgy and delicious. Love the pan bang trick!
So chewy and chocolatey! I underbaked slightly like you said and the texture was perfect. Thanks for all the clear tips.
I added some chopped walnuts. Insane flavor. Definitely saving this recipe.