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!
“I found this recipe on Pinterest about 5-6 years ago, and I have made them so many times. They’re the perfect chocolate chewy delicious cookie. I always add a little bit of sea salt on top, and they’re so good!! Thank you so much for the recipe!” – Melanie
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt by about 1/4 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 mini chocolate chips, and they didn’t have as much of a crackly crust. Don’t skip the mini chocolate chips if you want shinier 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.
Step 1: Line your baking sheets with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: 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. The batter should fall in ribbons at this point.
Tip >> 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.
Step 4: Reduce the mixer speed to low and stream in the melted chocolate mixture.
Step 5: Stir in the flour and cocoa powder just until combined.
Step 6: Fold in the mini chocolate chips and nuts, if using. The dough should be thick like brownie batter at this point.
Step 7: Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Step 8: 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.
Step 9: Bake for about 8-10 minutes. The middles should look soft and a little underdone but the edges should be set.
Tip >> Since oven temps can vary, you may find that you need to increase the baking time.
Step 10: Once the cookies have cooled, remove to a wire rack or plate.
Recipe Tips!
- Melting: You can also melt the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then stir. Continue microwaving in 15 second intervals and then stirring until melted and well-combined.
- 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.
Troubleshooting 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.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe has over 1,000 comments and questions. I’ve taken a few of the most common questions and have answered them here.
I’ve used bittersweet chocolate chips and semisweet chocolate chips to make the cookies. Both have worked well.
I’ve frozen the dough in scoops and have baked the dough from frozen. While I do add more time when baking from frozen, otherwise, I’ve had good luck with baking the frozen dough.
I’ve made the cookies in 1.5 tablespoon, 2 tablespoon, and 4 tablespoon (1/4 cup) scoops. All three of those sized cookies are pictured here.
Storage
Store any leftover brownie cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. The cookies will keep for up to 3 days when properly stored.
More popular cookie recipes!
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Brownie Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips 60-70% cacao
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder¹
- 1 cup pecans chopped, optional
- 1/2 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
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Adapted from Everyday Dishes.
Originally published 7/7/16.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
lex says
WOW, this recipe is AMAZING, I have made this recipe multiple times and it’s everyone’s favorite. I once forgot the brown sugar and it tasted great still. Another time I added in a little instant coffee and chopped candy canes to make peppermint mocha brownie cookies. I usually use Kirkland semi-sweet chocolate and it comes out amazing.
Kate says
Yay!! Thanks so much! I’m glad that you like them. =)
Ebby says
This was FANTASTIC!
Kate says
Thank you so much! =)
Stacey says
Absolutely delicious ! I followed the recipe except I used cassava flour a gluten free yucca root flour. Took them to a get together and everyone loved them. If you love soft fudgy brownies. You will love these!
Kate says
Thank you so much!! I appreciate you sharing that about using cassava flour!
Bobby says
Thanks as they turned out great!
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad you liked them!
Liz DeAgazio says
I plan on making these tomorrow , could I chill the batter for a few hours or should it only be chilled for 30 minutes?
Kate says
Yes, you should be ok. I would recommend setting the dough out while your oven preheats to let it come up some in temperature before baking. Otherwise, you may find that the cookies don’t spread as much.
Carley says
I have an older Sunbeam stand mixer that doesn’t have a paddle attachment. Is there anything I can do to make sure the cookies still turn out? What would you recommend? Thanks
Kate says
I’ve heard from several people who have used hand mixers with this recipe. They’ve had to beat the egg mixture for longer to get it thick enough, but they’ve said that it worked out well for them. I’m not sure how a Sunbeam compares power-wise, but I think it should be just fine!
Tiffany says
Amazing recipe!!! I followed the recipe to a T and it came out perfect. Thanks for sharing!!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad you liked them!
Sandy says
Love the recipe! Can I store the batter for future baking?
Kate says
Thank you! You can. I find it easiest to freeze scoops of the dough. I scoop the dough, place it on a lined baking sheet (the scoops can be touching, so there’s no need to space them the way you would if you were baking the cookies), and then I freeze them until solid. Once the scoops have frozen, then I place them in a resealable container. Hope that helps! =)
Lara farrah says
Hello I just need to know the reason my cookies went flat and thin like in one piece but the taste was delicious, I chilled them for 4-5 hours
Kate says
Hi! I’m happy to help you troubleshoot, but I’ll need more information to do that. Did you make any changes to the recipe (i.e. substitute any ingredients, change any steps)? Also, did you use a hand mixer or a stand mixer in step 3? You shouldn’t need to chill the dough for that long, so let’s figure out where things went wrong!
Lara Farrah says
Thank you for your reply, in step 3 I used a hand mixer does this make a difference?
I didn’t change anything in the recipe.
Kate says
Yes, that can make a difference because a hand mixer doesn’t have the same power as a stand mixer. I’ve found with other recipes that people using a hand mixer need to increase the mixing time to get the same results. For example, I have a whipped frosting recipe, and I’ve heard from many people that it takes them 10 minutes with a hand mixer versus 5 minutes with a stand mixer. I hope that helps!
Lara says
Hello I just need to know the reason when I put my cookies in the oven they spread and became one piece.
Kate says
Hey! I hope you saw my response. =)
Ting Leong says
This recipe looks yummy. I’m looking forward to making it because I love chocolate. How many cups are in 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips?
Thanks,
Ting
Kate says
Hi! Thanks! It’s approximately 2 cups of chocolate chips.
Ashley says
Could this cookie dough be made in advance and frozen?
Kate says
It can! The dough can be frozen in scoops and then baked as directed. You’ll probably need to add a few more minutes to the baking time.
Kim says
These are fantastic!! Thanks!!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Lila Holdren says
sooooo good!!!
Kate says
Thank you! Glad you liked them! =)
Maryam says
I can’t even begin to explain how glad I am that I made this recipe! The cookies were out of this world and the instructions and video were easy to follow and very helpful! 11/10 for me!!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m really glad that the video and instructions were helpful. =)
Lizz Adcox says
Delicious!!! So good!
Kate says
Thank you so much! =)
Kiara says
I’m trying out this recipe. Would it be fine to leave the batter chilled over night?
Kate says
That should be fine. You may just need to set the batter out while you preheat the oven to let it come up some in temp before you bake the cookies.
Makenna says
Hi Kate!
I left my batter covered and chilled in the fridge over night and this morning it’s hard like a candy bar. I’ve been letting it thaw out while the oven preheated and for a little longer. Still hard. I tried to run warm water around the bowl to get it to loosen. It now has the consistency of hard ice cream. My cookie scoop is having a hard time pushing it out. I let them bake for about 10min at 350. They still look like scoops of chocolate ice cream. They smell delicious so I’m sure they still taste good! Any suggestions? Is this not a recipe that can be chilled over night? I can confidently say that I followed the recipe to a T and I used a kitchen aid stand mixer(: Thanks so much for your help! Love your recipes!
Kate says
Hi! Thank you so much! I’m sorry that your dough is giving your trouble! Did your dough happen to dry out while it chilled? I ask that because what you’re describing reminds me of times when I’ve had dough that dried out some while it was in the fridge. If so, you can try cutting off the top layer of the dough to get to softer dough underneath.
If not and it’s just cold, it sounds like you’ve already tried several things to get it to soften up. Sometimes, I place it near my oven’s exhaust fan while the oven preheats. Another trick it to turn your oven on to 350F for exactly 60 seconds and then turn the oven off. You can place the covered dough in the oven to let it soften up before scooping. Also, if I’m baking with super cold dough (or frozen dough), I usually need to add a few extra minutes onto the baking time. I hope that helps!
Amy says
These were seriously amazing! Mostly followed the recipe. I used semisweet chips and cut back the sugar. I also added a couple of teaspoons of instant coffee. They had crispy outsides and gooey/chewy insides. I’ll absolutely make these again!
Kate says
Thank you! So glad that you liked them! =)
Ciara says
Hi! Absolutely loved these!! However, my cookies were a bit flat, what can I do to avoid this? :))
Kate says
Hi! Thank you! You can try beating the egg mixture for longer to get it thickened up a bit more, and you can also try chilling the dough longer. Hope that helps!
Kiki says
What can I use as a replacement for eggs?
If i make the cookies small as 0.5 tbsp, how long should the bake time be?
Kate says
Hi! There are commercial egg replacements, but I haven’t tested them in this recipe to say how they will work. I haven’t made them with a 0.5 T scoop, but I would start checking them around 4 minutes and go from there.