Brownie cookies

Ultra fudgy brownie, with the perfect level of chocolate flavor, but in a handheld cookie form.

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These cookies are loosely based off of my favorite brownie recipe, and what could be better than a cross between our favorite chocolate dessert and a cookie? I had made brownie cookies before developing this recipe and always found them to be too crispy or not chocolatey enough. These are fudgy in the center just like the perfect brownie center, and have a light crisp and chew around the edges just like you would expect from a cookie or brownie edge. There are two types of melted chocolate and of course cocoa powder as well to bring out the deep chocolate flavor.

Butter is always an important ingredient, but when it comes to brownies I firmly believe that chocolate and cocoa powder are the most critical ingredients. So, if you're deciding on an ingredient to splurge on I would encourage you to focus on the chocolate. For my semisweet and milk chocolate chips, I tend to go with Guittard which is what I used in this recipe. I did develop this recipe (including the updates made in 2026) using chocolate chips not chopped chocolate, but you will have absolutely delicious brownie cookies either way you go as long as it's a high quality chocolate. For cocoa powder, I used the unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder from Valrhona. It's the same cocoa powder I love using for all of my chocolate forward recipes, so don't worry it won't go to waste. It really helps to ensure a deep, chocolate flavor and contributes a lot to the fudgy texture too.

When it comes to baking these cookies, know that they will continue to bake and set once they leave the oven. You'll know they're ready to remove from the oven once the shiny top is formed and the center is slightly poofed up, but still looks ever so slightly damp. You really want to avoid over baking these cookies especially if you typically like a fudgy brownie. They will continue to set once they come out of the oven and they taste great freshly baked, once chilled, or even reheated in the microwave.

For this recipe, I've made it both with and without a hand mixer. While you can absolutely skip the mixer if it's not an option, in order to get that signature shiny brownie exterior, I highly recommend using a hand mixer. If you opt for a whisk, be sure to spend extra time when whipping your eggs and sugars together until you get a really light and frothy mixture with few sugar granules still visible. It's quite the arm workout but it is possible!

Aside from the mixer, this recipe really is low fuss, and the steps are almost identical to making brownies - aside from the scooping process. For scooping your dough this is where some of the magic happens! You'll scoop 13 brownie cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and then chill for a short time until they are lightly firm. Once your oven is preheated and right before they go into the oven, you'll roll the scoops in your palms until the exterior is smooth and shiny. I made the mistake of not doing this during one of my test rounds and I almost trashed the batch of cookies! This step done right before they hit the oven ensures an extra fudgy center AND a beautiful brownie like exterior. From here, you'll bake the cookies and you can lightly shape them using the scooting method which I highly recommend. Baking one tray at a time is the best option to ensure you get nice, evenly baked brownie cookies but if you bake two trays at a time just be sure to rotate halfway through baking.

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup (3 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup (3 oz) milk chocolate chips

• 1/3 cup (64g) light brown sugar

• 3/4 cup (144g) granulated sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon (12g) neutral oil canola or vegetable

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup (52g) cocoa powder

• 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Total time: About an hour and a half

Prep time: About 20 minutes

Bake time: 10-12 minutes

Servings: 13 cookies

Equipment:

• Hand mixer (or whisk)

• Nonstick heavy bottomed pot (or microwave safe bowl)

• Spatula or large spoon

• Cookie sheets

• Parchment paper

• Large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons)

• Large mixing bowl

Cooking instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and take out any refrigerated items, including your eggs.

Melt your butter on low heat in a nonstick pot (or partially melt in the microwave). Add in your chocolate and mix constantly over a low heat until completely combined. (If using microwave method, continue to microwave in 15 second increments, mixing each time until smooth.) Set aside to cool slightly.

Into a large bowl, add in both sugars and your eggs. Use your hand mixer at a medium to high speed to combine for a minute or two until your mixture has lightened in color and thickened.

Add in your oil and vanilla, and continue to mix until completely combined.

Next, pour in your butter and chocolate mixture and whisk until fully combined, being sure to reach down to the bottom of your bowl. At this point use your hand mixer to start and then a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl to ensure your chocolate and butter are mixed in evenly.

At this point, you'll incorporate your dry ingredients. Add in your flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and fold in using your spatula. Move slowly here and be sure to only mix as much as necessary. If there are any large clumps in your cocoa powder, it may help to sift it in first.

Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to portion out your dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet (it can be smaller than the one you'll bake on). It should make about 13 cookies, 3 tablespoons per cookie. Place the cookie sheet into the fridge uncovered for about 20-30 minutes, no longer, to allow the scoops to firm up.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. When you're ready to bake, space your scoops out onto larger parchment lined cookie sheets. Right before baking, roll each scoop in your hands until the exterior is smooth and shiny. Bake your brownie cookies for about 10-12 minutes. You'll know they're done when you see the shiny top but the cookies still look ever so slightly damp in the very center.

Remove from the oven, and you can use a round cookie cutter or bowl slightly larger than the size of your cookie to lightly shape or scoot your cookie to ensure they're perfectly round. Allow your brownie cookies to cool on the cookie sheets - knowing that they will be gooey for the first hour or so out of the oven, and then perfectly fudgy later on!

You can store your brownie cookies at room temperature or in the fridge for about 5 days in an airtight container, though they'll stay freshest if stored in the fridge. You can enjoy chilled, at room temperature, or my personal favorite warmed up in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. You can also store the fully baked cookies in the freezer to eat any time!

Carb and serving info:

Carbs for full recipe: 442

Carbs per serving (1 of 13): 34

Carbs from chocolate (in case you use a different kind): 108

Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.