🍪🍫 Brownie Cookies
These Brownie Cookies combine the best parts of two classic desserts: the rich, fudgy center of a brownie and the chewy, crisp-edged texture of a cookie.
Made with melted semi-sweet chocolate, butter, brown sugar, and cocoa, these cookies bake into gorgeous crackly tops with soft, intensely chocolatey centers. They’re perfect for holiday cookie trays, bake sales, parties, gifting, or satisfying a serious chocolate craving.
Recipe Information
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Chilling Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
- Total Time: About 1 hour
- Yield: 18–22 cookies
- Difficulty: Easy
- Method: Oven-baked
Ingredients
For the Brownie Cookies
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 6 oz (170 g) semi-sweet chocolate baking bar, melted and cooled
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (85 g) semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, optional
Optional Toppings
- Extra chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt
- White chocolate chips
- Chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
1. Prepare the Oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Set aside.
2. Melt the Chocolate and Butter
Melt the semi-sweet chocolate and butter separately or together using a microwave in 15–20 second intervals, stirring well between each interval.
Continue until smooth.
Allow the mixture to cool until warm or room temperature rather than hot.
Hot chocolate can interfere with the eggs and make the cookie dough too loose.
3. Whisk the Eggs and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs.
Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed for approximately 2–3 minutes, until the mixture becomes pale, slightly thickened, and glossy.
This step helps create the characteristic crackly brownie-like tops.
4. Add the Vanilla and Butter
Add the vanilla extract and melted butter.
Mix until evenly incorporated.
5. Add the Melted Chocolate
Pour in the cooled melted chocolate.
Mix gently until the batter is completely smooth and uniformly chocolate-colored.
6. Prepare the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
Mix thoroughly so the leavening and salt are evenly distributed.
7. Combine the Batter
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture.
Fold gently with a spatula until just combined.
Do not overmix.
The dough will be softer and more batter-like than traditional cookie dough at first.
8. Add Chocolate Chips
Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
For an extra chocolatey finish, reserve a few chips for pressing onto the cookies before baking.
9. Chill the Dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.
Chilling allows the melted chocolate and butter to firm up enough for the dough to be scooped.
Don’t skip this step unless the dough is already thick enough to hold its shape.
10. Scoop the Cookies
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop portions of dough approximately 1½ tablespoons each.
Place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches (5 cm) between cookies.
Press a few extra chocolate chips on top if desired.
11. Bake
Bake for 10–12 minutes.
The cookies are ready when the edges look set and the tops are shiny and crackled, while the centers still appear slightly soft.
Do not overbake—the soft center is what gives them their brownie-like texture.
12. Cool
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5–7 minutes.
They will be delicate when hot but will firm up as they cool.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For a beautiful finish, sprinkle a tiny amount of flaky sea salt over the warm cookies.
Chef’s Tips
- Cool the melted chocolate: Hot chocolate can affect the egg mixture and make the dough difficult to handle.
- Beat the eggs and sugar well: This helps create shiny, crackly brownie tops.
- Don’t overmix after adding flour: Overmixing can make the cookies tough.
- Chill the dough: This is essential for manageable, thick cookies.
- Don’t overbake: The centers should still look slightly underdone when they leave the oven.
- Use good-quality chocolate: The chocolate is the main flavor, so quality makes a difference.
- Bake one tray at a time: This gives the most consistent results.
How to Get Perfect Crackly Tops
The glossy, crackled appearance comes from properly beating the eggs and sugar before adding the chocolate and flour.
For the most pronounced tops:
- Use room-temperature eggs.
- Beat the eggs and sugars until pale and slightly thick.
- Use melted chocolate rather than only cocoa powder.
- Don’t let the finished dough sit around for too long before baking.
- Bake immediately after chilling and scooping.
Delicious Variations
Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Add another ½ cup chocolate chips for an extra-rich cookie.
Salted Brownie Cookies
Top each cookie with a few flakes of sea salt immediately after baking.
Walnut Brownie Cookies
Fold in ½ cup (55 g) chopped toasted walnuts or pecans.
White Chocolate Brownie Cookies
Add ½ cup white chocolate chips alongside the semi-sweet chocolate.
Peppermint Brownie Cookies
Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract to the wet ingredients and top with crushed peppermint candy.
Espresso Brownie Cookies
Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder to the melted chocolate for a deeper chocolate flavor.
Make-Ahead Instructions
The cookie dough can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead.
Keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator.
When ready to bake, scoop directly from the chilled dough. If it becomes very firm, let it stand at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping.
Freezing
Freeze the Dough
Scoop the chilled dough into individual portions and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
Freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.
Freeze for up to 2 months.
Bake from frozen at 350°F (175°C), adding approximately 1–2 minutes to the baking time.
Freeze Baked Cookies
Cool the cookies completely and store them in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
For the softest texture, keep them tightly sealed.
Final Result
These Brownie Cookies deliver the ultimate chocolate experience: crackly brownie-like tops, crisp delicate edges, chewy centers, and rich melted chocolate throughout. They’re fudgy enough to satisfy a brownie craving while still having everything you love about a homemade cookie.