These Fudgy Brownie Cookies are the absolute perfect blend between a cookie and a brownie. Slightly crispy edges, gooey brownie center, and a deep chocolate flavor! Perfect for the chocolate lover in your life!!
This cookie recipe was originally published in January 2019 – I’ve since updated the photos and slightly tweaked the recipe. Enjoy!
Cookie season is officially upon us! I don’t know about y’all, but it’s definitely one of my favorite traditions to get together with family and bake allll the cookies. Something about time spent AND having warm delicious cookies at the end of it all…a total win win situation!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies:
First off – these cookies combine two of my all time favorite things: soft chocolate chip cookies and fudgy chocolate brownies.
The tops get crinkled (just like the tops of brownies!), the edges are firm and slightly crispy (like cookies!) and the middles….are gooey, fudgy and over the top amazing.
The deep cocoa flavor is especially enhanced by the espresso powder in the dough!
Each gooey bite in the middle….they’re fudgy but not dense like your average brownie. They’re not at all cakey but instead chewy and gooey!
Not to mention, they’re super simple to bake. Yes, they require a slight chill time in the fridge but aside from that….easy peasy!!
Once they are freshly baked, sprinkle some flaky salt on top, pour a cold glass of milk and you’re literally set for the best cookie EVER 🙂
Ingredients You Need:
- semi-sweet chocolate – can use a chocolate bar or chocolate chips for this (can use dark/bittersweet for a less sweet cookie but I recommend semi-sweet!)
- All purpose flour – a must have for the batter, you don’t need much though!
- Baking powder – to help them rise!
- Espresso powder (optional but i really love the extra depth of flavor this adds)
- Salted butter – always and forever salted butter.
- Granulated and brown sugar – to add sweetness!
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – be sure to get unsweetened!
- Pure vanilla extract – for extra flavor!
- Eggs – to hold it all together!
- Chocolate chips – you add some chocolate chips to the dough and also top the warm cookies with extra for melty chocolate!
- Flaky salt – to garnish with, optional but I love a salty sweet treat!
How to Make Cookies in 5 Simple Steps:
- Melt the semi-sweet chocolate – it’s fine if it’s chunks, a chopped up chocolate bar or chocolate chips. Just make sure it’s 8 oz worth! Melt in 30 second increments, stirring each time you remove it. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and sugars using a hand mixer until creamed together nicely. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract and mix to combine. Lastly, add in the melted chocolate. Mix to combine with the hand mixer. To the bowl, add in the all purpose flour, baking powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder and a pinch of salt. Carefully begin to mix it at low speed.
- Once the dough is fully incorporated, fold in the chocolate chips using either a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The dough will be THICK like chocolate fudge frosting. Pop in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
- 15 minutes before it’s done chilling, go ahead and preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat. Once chilled, the dough will be hard – so grab a sturdy spoon and get about 1-2 tbsp worth of dough in your hands and roll it in a ball. Repeat until the baking sheet is filled up – I fit 8 cookies on one sheet. Bake for 11-12 minutes. The middles will still be slightly gooey – they will continue baking once cooling.
- If you want thinner, larger cookies, gently smack the baking sheet on the counter to help flatten them out. Let them cool on the sheet pan for 10 minutes or so and be sure to pop a few chocolate chips on top of each cookie while they are warm. Top with flaky sea salt and enjoy!
Best Baking Tips:
For the semi-sweet chocolate that you melt, I used a combination of chocolate chips and a chocolate bar I needed to use up. I found it helpful to roughly chop the chocolate bar up into smaller pieces for better melting capability.
I used the microwave (feel free to use a double boiler!) to melt the chocolate. Do it in 20-30 second increments so it doesn’t burn and stir thoroughly each time you take it out!
Once the dough is chilled, it will be a little bit hard – so I used a tablespoon (instead of a cookie scoop!) to scoop out my dough. It was a hefty tablespoon worth – about 1.5-2 tablespoons.
The cookies will flatten some – but once the cookies are baked, if you’re looking for rounder larger cookies, feel free to gently smack the sheet pan on the counter top (or on a kitchen towel on top of your counter)…I know it sounds crazy but it will help them flatten!
You must let them cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes after you take them out of the oven – they will continue to cook a little bit more and firm up on the inside but still keep that delicious gooey center.
While they’re still warm on the cookie sheet, I gently added a few more chocolate chips to each one. It makes sure you get melty chocolate bits in every single bite. YUM.
Storing Leftovers:
Of course, every cookie is best eaten fresh, right? Thankfully these keep well and taste delicious as leftovers! Store leftover cookies in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Enjoy with a glass of milk, cup of coffee or afternoon cup of tea. Happy cookie season!
Did you enjoy this recipe? Here are a few more cookie recipes you might like:
Triple Chocolate Brownie Skillet
Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie
Fudgy Brownie Cookies
These Fudgy Brownie Cookies are the absolute perfect blend between a cookie and a brownie. Slightly crispy edges, gooey brownie center, and a deep chocolate flavor! Perfect for the chocolate lover in your life!!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (I used a blend of chocolate chips + a roughly chopped chocolate bar)
- 5 tbsp salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
- 2 large room temperature eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips (for folding into the batter/garnishing)
- pinch of flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
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Add your 8 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate to a microwave safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in 20-30 second increments until it's smooth, stirring thoroughly each time you take it out to check. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine your softened butter with your brown and granulated white sugar. Beat with your mixer until creamy - about 1 minute. Add in your 2 room temperature eggs and your vanilla extract and beat until super smooth and creamy. To that mixture, add your melted chocolate. Mix until fully incorporated.
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Using a sifter over the bowl, add in your flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, espresso powder and pinch of salt. Using your mixer one last time, mix these gently together on low speed (so you don't spill it everywhere!)
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Once your dough is fully incorporated, gently fold in your chocolate chips using a rubber spatula. I did about 1/4 cup chocolate chips into the dough and then topped them with 1/4 cup chocolate chips once they were baked and warm.
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Let your dough sit, uncovered, in the fridge for 30 minutes. About 15 minutes before you take your dough out of the fridge, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper of silicon.
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Once your dough is ready, it will be a little bit hard. I suggest using a tablespoon to scoop it out (about 1.5-2 tbsp worth of dough) into your hands and then rolling them into large balls. Place on the cookie sheet - I was able to fit 8 on one cookie sheet.
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Bake at 350 degrees for 11-12 minutes. The middles should still be slightly gooey. Once you've taken them out of the oven, if you want more flat cookies, gently bang them on the countertop to help them flatten out. Let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes then move them onto a cooling rack. While still warm, place chocolate chips on the top of them, followed by a pinch of sea salt.
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Eat while warm! These can keep up to 3 days in a sealed container at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
If you don't have room temperature eggs, place them in a bowl with lukewarm water for 15 minutes or so. This should do the trick!
I’m gonna go eat the rest of these now. Mkay, bye.
Hope you had a fabulous birthday Haylie! I love these cookies! They look so cakey and fudgy, but crispy and crackly on top! I bet they would be delicious served warmed, or dunked in some almond milk. Can you tell I’m drooling right now?!;)
Thank you so much, Leanne!! It was a wonderful birthday – especially eating these delicious cookies 🙂
I just made these and they are delicious. Super easy as well. I didn’t let mine sit as long in the fridge and they still rolled perfectly. Great recipe!
Ahhh!! Thank you so much, Francesca! So happy they turned out delicious for you 🙂
Is there a vegetarian version of the cookies? Can I substitute eggs with something?
Hi Renu! I personally have never tried an egg substitute with these cookies. I’ve had others try “flax eggs” with some of my other baking recipes and have had success but I’m not positive it would work with this particular recipe. In any case, if you do try it out, please let me know how it works for you! 🙂 Thank you so much for the comment!