Brownie cookies are soft, crackly cookies that bake up with the rich flavor and fudgy texture of a brownie in cookie form. They combine a chewy center with lightly set edges, similar to the top of a classic brownie.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Brownie Cookies
🕒 Ready In: ~45 minutes (including chilling)
👪 Serves: 16-18 cookies
🥣 Main Ingredients: Butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips, eggs, brown sugar, cocoa powder
👌 Difficulty: Easy - melt, mix, chill, bake
⭐ Why You'll Love It: These brownie cookies bake up with soft, fudgy centers and crackly tops, giving you the texture of a brownie in an easy-to-serve cookie form.
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The cookies stay tender in the middle while developing thin, glossy tops as they bake. Once cooled, they hold their shape without losing that soft brownie-like bite.
If you're looking for more chocolate recipes, try our Double Chocolate Banana Bread, Chocolate Sheet Cake, or Brownie Cookies.
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Why You'll Love Brownie Cookies
Fudgy brownie texture: The melted chocolate base creates a soft, rich center similar to a classic brownie.
Crackly tops: Beating the eggs and sugar gives the cookies their thin, glossy crust as they bake.
Short bake time: The cookies set quickly in the oven while staying soft in the middle.
Easy to portion: A cookie scoop helps keep the cookies uniform in size and shape.
Good balance of chew and softness: The edges set lightly while the centers remain tender.
Key ingredients
- Butter: Melts with the chocolate to create a rich base that gives the cookies their fudgy brownie-like texture.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Provide depth of flavor and structure, helping the cookies bake up soft with a crackly surface.
- Eggs: When beaten with the sugar, they create the glossy tops and help the cookies hold their shape.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and chew while contributing to the cookies' soft centers.
- Dark cocoa powder: Intensifies the chocolate flavor and deepens the color without drying out the dough.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Chocolate type: Semi-sweet chocolate chips work best, but dark chocolate chips can be used for a deeper, less sweet flavor.
- Cocoa powder: Dark cocoa gives the cookies a richer color and flavor; regular unsweetened cocoa powder can be substituted if needed.
- Cookie size: Scoop smaller portions for bite-sized brownie cookies and reduce the bake time by 1-2 minutes.
- Extra chocolate: Stir in a handful of additional chocolate chips for more chocolate pockets throughout the cookies.
- Softer centers: Bake toward the lower end of the time range to keep the centers extra fudgy.
how to make brownie cookies
- Step 1: In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and brown sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes, until pale and thick.
- Step 2: Mix in the vanilla extract, then add the cooled chocolate mixture. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Step 3: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Step 4: Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Beat the eggs long enough: Whipping the eggs and sugar until pale and thick is key to achieving the crackly tops.
- Let the chocolate cool slightly: Adding hot chocolate to the eggs can affect texture and reduce volume.
- Chill the dough: A short chill firms the dough and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven.
- Do not over bake: The centers should look soft when removed; they will finish setting as the cookies cool.
- Space the cookies well: These cookies spread slightly, so leaving enough space prevents them from baking into each other.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Options
- Make ahead: The dough can be mixed and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it becomes too firm to scoop.
- Freeze the dough: Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
- Bake from frozen: Frozen dough balls can be baked directly from the freezer; add 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
- Freeze baked cookies: Once fully cooled, the cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- Thawing tips: Thaw baked cookies at room temperature; they will soften as they sit.
Brownie Cookies faqs
Brownie cookies stay fudgy when the dough is mixed gently, chilled briefly, and baked just until the edges are set. Over baking or adding too much flour can cause the cookies to turn cakey.
Brownie cookie dough is chilled to firm it up and control spreading in the oven. Chilling also helps the cookies bake thicker and hold their shape.
Brownie cookies are done when the edges look set and the centers still appear soft. They continue to firm up as they cool, so pulling them early helps maintain a fudgy texture.
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Brownie Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and brown sugar on high speed for about 5 minutes, until pale and thick. Mix in the vanilla extract, then add the cooled chocolate mixture and combine until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Notes
- Beat the eggs long enough: Whipping the eggs and sugar until pale and thick is key to achieving the crackly tops.
- Let the chocolate cool slightly: Adding hot chocolate to the eggs can affect texture and reduce volume.
- Chill the dough: A short chill firms the dough and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven.
- Do not over bake: The centers should look soft when removed; they will finish setting as the cookies cool.
- Space the cookies well: These cookies spread slightly, so leaving enough space prevents them from baking into each other.
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