This brownie cookie recipe is all of the good parts of a brownie- crackly crust, fudgy middles, chewy edges, & intense chocolate flavor -in one easy, homemade cookie recipe. One of the best cookie recipes around!
I have some amazing, chocolaty goodness for you today! These Brownie Cookies are for serious chocolate lovers.
They're similar to my Flourless Fudge Cookies, the one of the most popular chocolate cookies on my site, but these easy chocolate brownie cookies are thicker and richer.
This homemade brownie cookie recipe is pretty simple to make and give you all of the good parts of a brownie - shiny, crackly crust, fudgy middles, chewy edges, and intense chocolate flavor - in one little cookie.
And.....then enjoy the most ridiculously rich and fudgy, best homemade cookies ever!
If you love brownies, please take a moment to check out my how-to make homemade brownies guide! Or check out my Brookie recipe that combines these cookies with chewy chocolate chip cookies!
How to make brownie cookies
When you read the recipe, you may be tempted to cut short the mixing time. Please don't do it! One of the keys to success is to follow the instructions as-written.
The cookies need the extended mixing time. It's going to make all the difference in your cookies turning out right. So please take the few extra minutes to make it as written.
Line your baking sheets with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Melt the bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in a heavy saucepan over low, stirring constantly, until melted and combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar (white sugar) vanilla, baking powder, and salt on high for 5 minutes, or until the batter is thick and creamy.
Don't cut this step short! The cookies will be too thin and won't have the shiny exterior if you cut the mixing short.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and stream in the melted chocolate mixture. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder just until combined.
Fold in the mini chocolate chips and nuts, if using. The dough should be thick like brownie batter at this point.
Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Scoop out 1.5 tablespoon scoops of dough (medium cookie scoop). Place the scoops of dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes. The middles should look soft and a little underdone but the edges should be set.
Since oven temps can vary, you may find that you need to increase the baking time. Once the cookies have cooled, remove to a wire rack or plate.
Tips for making brownie cookies
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt by about ¼ teaspoon.
- Cocoa Powder: I didn't have good results when using Dutch-processed cocoa powder. I recommend using unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe.
- Chocolate chips: I've tried making the cookies without the chocolate chips, and they didn't have as much of a crackly crust. Don't skip the chocolate chips if you want a shinier cookies.
- Mixing: I recommend using a paddle attachment to mix the cookie dough. I've tried using a whisk attachment, and the cookies didn't turn out as well.
- Chilling: The cookies will be flat and will bake out if you skip chilling the dough. Also, if your fridge is packed doesn't chill very well, you may find that you need to add a little extra time to the given chilling time.
- Baking: The cookies will look underbaked in the center but be set at the edges, and the crackly, shiny crust will develop as the cookies cool.
What causes flat cookies?
There are two things that could cause flat cookies.
First, cutting the mixing time short or using a hand mixer (or mixing by hand). The volume of air that a stand mixer can beat in gives the cookies lift.
If using a hand mixer, you'll need to add additional mixing time. I've heard from several people who added about 5 minutes of additional time when using a hand mixer. They've said that that helped to incorporate enough air.
Second, the other thing that can cause flat cookies is not adequately chilling the dough. For me, 30 minutes works well.
However, you may find that you need to add additional chilling time. Factors like the temperature that your fridge is set to, how well it chills, and even how full your fridge is can affect how long the dough will need to chill.
Tools used to make brownie cookies
Cookie Scoop: This is the cookie scoop I have. I use it so much that I bought a second one. It's great for scooping cookies, mini muffins, and even meatballs.
Parchment paper: I buy a giant roll of parchment paper, and I use it regularly to line pans. I also use it underneath baking racks to catch drips when I'm putting on glaze or icing.
More popular cookie recipes!
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Brownie Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips 60-70% cacao
- ½ cup butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder¹
- 1 cup pecans chopped, optional
- ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Melt bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until melted and well-combined.
- Remove from heat, and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugars, vanilla, baking powder, and salt on high speed 5 minutes, or until the batter is thick and creamy. This step is key, so make sure to beat the mixture for the full 5 minutes.
- Reduce the speed to low, and mix in the melted chocolate until well-combined.
- Stir in flour and cocoa powder just until combined.
- Add nuts, if using, and mini chocolate chips. Stir in to combine. The batter should be the consistency of a thick brownie batter at this point.
- Cover the batter, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop batter onto the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies 8-10 minutes. The cookie will look set at the edges but still be a little wet looking in the center. Don't overbake, or the cookies won't be crackly and fudgy.
- The shiny, crackly crust will develop as the cookies cool on the baking sheet.
Video
Notes
- I don't recommend Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe.
- Nutrition facts are estimated.
Nutrition
Adapted from Everyday Dishes.
Originally published 7/7/16. Updated with new photos and tips 11/8/19. Updated again on 12/1/21 to add additional tips and information.
Tracy
I forgot to use the brown sugar? Will it affect the out come?
Kate
The cookies may be a little crispier and slightly less sweet without it.
Marga
fabulous. I used an electric hand mixer (for an extra 7 minutes than recommended for your mixer). This recipe will be one of our favorites from now on. Thank you for this.
Kate
Thank you! I'm glad that they worked out well for you!
Erineall
Hey, silly question... Can you make this recipe without using any chocolate chips at all?
Kate
Hi! The recipe needs the bittersweet chocolate chips.
Laurie
Mine turned out great. Thanks!
Kate
I'm glad that you liked them!
Tim H
I made these for friends and family as part of a care package for the holidays. Many of them said these were their favorite in the entire care package. My partner took the leftover cookies to share with his coworkers and they were a hit! Several even asked for the recipe :-)
Kate
Yay!! I'm so glad that they were a hit!
Tania
Can I cool the batter for longer than 30 minutes. Say about 4 hours?
Kate
You can. The dough will set up quite a bit, so you'll need to let the dough come up in temperature some before using it.
Meredith
I’ve made these numerous times - they are my favorite! Best baked treat for any chocolate lover ❤️
Kate
Thank you!!
Suzan A Hackerson
Fantastic!
Kate
Thank you!
sam
Hello! What alternative could you recommend if there is no stand mixer with paddle attachment available? Does spatula (folding) work?
Kate
Hi! A hand mixer would be the next best choice. The mixture really needs to get air whipped into it, and it's going to be difficult to do that with just a spatula.
Jen
Hi! Can I make this recipe without the chocolate chips?
Kate
Hi - I haven't tried making the cookies without chocolate chips to say for certain how other substitutes might work.
Elena Bronitskiy
Would unsalted butter work for this recipe or will the cookies not turn out well?
Kate
Hi! You could use unsalted butter. You'll just need to increase the salt in the recipe by about 1/4 teaspoon.
Rochelle
Planning on making these tomorrow! Would white chocolate chips be a good touch?
Kate
I haven't tried using white chocolate chips, but I would guess that they would work in place of the mini chocolate chips.
Gaby de la Croix
Hi Kate 🙂do you use salted or unsalted butter.
Gaby in Riverside, CA
Kate
Hi! I use salted butter.
Kathy
Delicious!
Kate
Thank you so much!
Megan
Love the recipe but my cookies kept falling apart, idk what i did wrong
Kate
Hi! I'm happy to help you figure that out! Could you please give me more info? Did you let the cookies cool completely on the pan or take then off while hot?
Gerbie
Do you store these cookies at room temperature (for how long), or can they be frozen?
Kate
I do. They last for about 3-4 days at room temperature. Yes, the cookies can be frozen.
Lynn
My batter seizes when I add the melted chocolate and it's too thin without it. Tips?
Kate
Could you please give me more information about what's happening?
Lynn
Love these brownie cookies! They’re much better than a brownie.
Kate
Thank you so much!
Brenda D
Love this recipe! Lots of positive comments from family and our grandson's baseball team - making a double batch for the next baseball tournament!
Kate
Yay!! I'm so glad that it was a hit!
Katiepoo
OMG this recipe was out of this world. Kate, u are a QUEEN for making these beautiful cookies. My fam was low key loving these and I have thought they were AMMMMMAAAAAAAZZZZIIINNNGGG. Props to u queen!
Kate
Thank you so much!!