Fudgy Brownie Cookies have a mouthwatering combo of chocolate flavor and soft consistency. Make this easy brownie cookie recipe for an incredibly chocolatey, anytime treat!
Picture this: the rich, chocolatey decadence of a fudgy brownie inside of a cookie. Soft, on the inside, with perfectly crisp edges. This dessert is a chocolate lover's dream come true!
Why choose between brownies and cookies when you can have the best of both worlds in one delightful bite?
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It makes a great snack or dessert.
- Freezable. Not all cookie recipes are freezer-friendly, but fudgy brownie cookies freeze well for 3-4 months!
- An easy and affordable homemade gift to share. Make several batches, then wrap them up in nice food storage containers or cellophane bags. During the holidays, gift them to your neighbors, family, and/or coworkers.
If you are a chocolate dessert lover, you might also want to bake up some Chocolate Crackle Cookies or Dark Chocolate Brownies.
Ingredients
There is a list of ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
Here's what you'll need to make this brownie cookie recipe:
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
- unsalted butter - The amount of salt in butter varies a lot between brands, so it's best to use unsalted butter.
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- light brown sugar - Do you know that it's easy to make brown sugar using white sugar and molasses?!
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- all purpose flour
- leaveners: baking powder and baking soda
- coarse baking salt - Use either sea salt or kosher salt.
Substitutions
Butter: If you only have salted butter on hand, leave out the salt called for in the brownie cookies recipe. Plant-based butter sticks might work, but I have not tested it, so test at your own risk.
Brown sugar: Light and dark brown sugar both work well. You can use white sugar instead of brown in this recipe. However, the acidity in brown sugar helps the dough set quickly. If you substitute with white sugar, the resulting cookies may be less chewy and spread out more.
Leaveners: Making fudgy cookies requires the use of both baking soda and baking powder.
Eggs: This ingredient is important for giving structure and moisture to the cookie dough. I don't recommend using egg substitutes, but you can read this article on Egg Substitutions for Baking if you would like to test them out.
Vanilla Extract: Helps to add flavor, we don't recommend substituting.
How to Make Fudgy Brownie Cookies
Summary only. Complete recipe instructions in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Melt chocolate over gentle heat.
- Combine the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Add melted chocolate. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Then, whisk well to combine.
- Beat on medium speed until the volume doubles in size. This step usually takes 2-3 minutes.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients together.
- Scoop portions of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
Liz's Tips for the Best Cookies
- Melt the chips in a double boiler over low heat. Melting chocolate over high heat can cause it to burn. Using a double boiler allows the chips to melt slowly and gently.
- Avoid overbaking. Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are set, but the centers are still slightly soft. They will continue baking as they cool down.
- Be sure they are completely cool before storing. If you store warm cookies in an airtight container, condensation will form on the inside of the lid. This can cause the fudgy cookies to become mushy.
- Eating unbaked batter can make you sick. If you love brownie batter, make some edible brownie batter.
Storage
Storing: Your homemade cookies will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing Baked Brownie Cookies: After baking and cooling, you can freeze them for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw completely before enjoying.
To prevent them from sticking together, it's best to lay wax paper or parchment paper in between each layer of cookies.
Freezing Cookie Dough: The dough can be made in advance and frozen but for optimal results, these cookies are best prepared immediately as the air in the whipping process helps to form the cracks in the cookies. The longer the dough sits the less likely the cracked top is to form.
Brownie Cookies Recipe FAQs
Brownies are typically thicker and more dense than brownie cookies. Also, cookies are baked on a sheet pan, while brownies are made in a baking pan.
There are 3 common reasons for flat cookies. The oven wasn't hot enough, there was too much butter, or too little flour. All of these can cause the cookie dough to spread too much before it begins baking.
Other Simple Cookie Recipes
- Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Delicious Hot Cocoa Cookies
Perfectly Fudgy Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the melted chocolate to the bowl of butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla (wet ingredients). Mix with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. The batter should double in size and become light and airy.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Scoop out balls of dough in 2 tablespoon size scoops. I like these cookie scoops. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the tops of the cookies have a cracked, crinkle appearance.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
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- Avoid overbaking. Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are set, but the centers are still slightly soft. They'll continue baking as they cool.
- Be sure your treats are completely cool before storing. If you store warm cookies in an airtight container, condensation will form on the inside of the lid. This can cause the fudgy cookies to become mushy.
Lynne
So good, and easy! Decadent chocolate treat!
Shelley
I noticed you used a 'scoop' to put the cookie dough onto baking sheet. For this recipe, that you show makes 16 cookies, is that a standard ice cream scooper? and do you just scoop them onto the sheet, you don't press them down - the scooped ball will flatten when cooked?
Liz Marino
No it's not an ice cream scoop, it's a cookie scoop! Here's a link to what we use!
Kodi
I love these cooking i enjoy making them i have to replace cocoa to carob cocoa due to allergies
Arletta Branchcomb
I noticed that the instructions say to not let the dough sit in the refrigerator too long but I didn't notice where you said to put the dough in the refrigerator. can I have an explanation please..
thank you
Liz Marino
These cookies do not go in the fridge, we copied that tip from another cookie recipe by accident. No need to chill this dough. I'm sorry for the confusion!
Melanie
These are one of my favorite cookie recipes! They’re so easy and delicious, and my kids love making them. The only problem is that they never last a day around here—they’re devoured so fast! They taste amazing hot out of the oven, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Rebecca
Scrumptious! Not only are they fun to make, but they’re also impressively crackly. Big hit at my house. Thanks for the great addition to my cookie repertoire!
Liz Marino
So glad you enjoyed them!
Tammy
After seeing yesterday's post showing these cookies,I knew I had to try them. They did not disappoint. They are so perfectly balanced with a bit of crunch on the outside and chewy fudge on the inside. They are the best cookie I've made in ages. I will drfinitely make them again.
Liz Marino
So happy you enjoyed them, Tammy! Thank you for the kind words!
Daniela
Just made these for the first time. Only change was using half cup milk chocolate chips and half semi sweet. They are perfect. Crispy and chewy and taste like a brownie just in cookie form. Yum.
Chris
I made these for the first time to bring to a party. I got rave reviews from everyone that had them and the entire batch disappeared. I added chocolate chips from the suggestions and they were perfect. And I made a double boiler to melt the chocolate so I could gather my other ingredients. So good and simple. I will make again.
Karen
This has to be 1 of the best cookies that I’ve ever tried. Usually I wonder if some tweaking would improve the result. Let me tell you…I wouldn’t with this recipe! Perfectly wonderful flavor, the instructions were all clear and easy to follow. I did use my regular salted butter, but that was what I had on hand. To me the cookies turned out incredible.
Toni
These are the bomb just wish the recipe made more!
Jenna
So rich and yummy! The perfect treat for chocolate lovers. Adding to our cookie rotation!
Julie
followed the recipe and they were easy and so good!!