There’s something magic about biting into a cookie with the fudgy richness of a brownie inside. That’s exactly why I’m excited to share my Brownie Cookie Recipe with you today—because it’s the perfect mashup that’ll satisfy both your cookie and brownie cravings in one go.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
I remember the first time I made this Brownie Cookie Recipe — I was honestly blown away by how chewy, chocolatey, and soft these cookies turned out. They’re just the right balance between a brownie’s dense richness and a cookie’s comforting chew. Trust me, once you try these, they’ll be a new favorite go-to.
- Perfect Texture: These cookies are fudgy in the center but still hold a soft chew, thanks to the careful balance of butter, cocoa, and baking powder.
- Easy Ingredients: No fancy items needed — basic pantry staples come together to make something extraordinary.
- Quick to Make: It only takes about 5 minutes to prep and under 15 minutes to bake, so you’re never waiting long for that chocolate fix.
- Customizable: Swap out chocolate chips for your favorite mix-ins like mint, butterscotch, or peanut butter chips for your own spin.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This recipe blends classic brownie elements with cookie dough to create a fudgy, chewy treat. Each ingredient plays a key role, from cocoa powder giving that deep chocolate flavor to the combination of butter and oil for perfect moisture.
- Unsweetened natural cocoa powder: Gives the cookies that intense chocolate punch essential for a brownie-like taste.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: The mix balances sweetness and melt-in-your-mouth chewiness with a hint of caramel from the brown sugar.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness; melting it helps create a soft tender crumb.
- Vegetable oil: Keeps the cookies moist and fudgy, helping mimic a brownie’s texture.
- Egg: Brings the dough together and adds structure while keeping it tender.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the chocolate and adds subtle warmth.
- All-purpose flour: Just enough to hold things together without making the cookies cakey.
- Baking powder: Gives a slight lift so the cookies don’t turn out flat and dense.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Melting spots of chocolate add extra pockets of gooey goodness.
Make It Your Way
I love taking this Brownie Cookie Recipe and switching up the mix-ins depending on the season or mood. It’s such a versatile base that lets your creativity shine.
- Variation: My go-to twist is swapping in butterscotch chips instead of chocolate for a buttery, sweet surprise—everyone always asks for seconds!
- Dietary Mod: For a dairy-free version, just use vegan butter and your favorite plant-based chocolate chips, and you’re good to go.
- Nutty Addition: Toasted walnuts or pecans make a wonderful crunchy contrast to the fudgy texture.
- Spiced Up: Adding a pinch of cinnamon or a dash of cayenne pepper adds unexpected warmth and complexity.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Brownie Cookie Recipe
Step 1: Prep Like a Pro
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat—I’m partial to silicone mats because they grip the dough, keeping your cookies from spreading too thin. This simple step makes a big difference in texture.
Step 2: Mix the Chocolatey Goodness
Into your mixer bowl goes the cocoa powder, granulated and brown sugars, melted butter, and vegetable oil. I usually start slow, then crank up the speed until everything’s combined smoothly. After that, beat in the egg and vanilla. Be sure to scrape down the sides a couple of times—this little trick ensures no pesky pockets of dry cocoa or flour hide out.
Step 3: Bring It All Together
Add the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, and salt—to the wet mixture. Stir just until combined; overmixing can toughen cookies, and we want tender, chewy, fudgy bites. Fold in those chocolate chips gently to distribute pockets of melty chocolate throughout.
Step 4: Shape and Bake
Use a cookie scoop or spoon to scoop out roughly 2-tablespoon-sized balls and place them two inches apart on your prepared sheets. Bake for 11-12 minutes. Remember, these cookies bake a little softer when you pull them out, so avoid the temptation to overbake—they’ll finish setting as they cool.
Step 5: Cool and Enjoy
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This resting phase helps them firm up just enough to handle while keeping the centers chewy and soft.
Top Tip
Over the years, baking this Brownie Cookie Recipe several times, I’ve learned a few things that make all the difference between "just okay" and "wow, these are amazing”. Here are my go-to tips to nail it every time:
- The Slight Underbake: Pull the cookies from the oven right when the edges look set but centers still look a tiny bit undercooked—that’s the secret to that perfect fudgy texture.
- Scrape Down: Don't skip scraping the bowl during mixing! It ensures an even, consistent dough and no surprises once baked.
- Chill the Dough Balls (Optional): For thicker cookies, pop your scooped dough into the freezer for 30 minutes before baking—this helps prevent spreading and enhances texture.
- Use Parchment or Silicone: This helps with even baking and easy cleanup plus controls how much your cookies spread.
How to Serve Brownie Cookie Recipe
Garnishes
When I serve these cookies, I often sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top right after baking — it amps up the chocolatey richness beautifully. A dusting of powdered sugar also makes for a pretty, festive touch if you’re bringing these to a party.
Side Dishes
Pair these with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for a decadent dessert. A simple glass of cold milk is also unbeatable—classic and comforting.
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I sometimes stack them like mini cookie cakes and drizzle melted chocolate or caramel sauce over the top. Another fun idea is sandwiching them with your favorite filling—think peanut buttercream or marshmallow fluff—for a brownie cookie sandwich experience.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I like storing leftover brownie cookies in an airtight container or Ziplock bag at room temperature. They stay soft and fresh for about 4 days, which is perfect if you’re planning a cookie stash for midweek coffee breaks.
Freezing
These cookies freeze beautifully! You can freeze fully baked cookies for up to 3 months. I also recommend freezing shaped dough balls on a baking sheet first, then transferring them to a bag. When you’re ready, bake them straight from the freezer—just add a minute or two to the baking time and enjoy fresh-baked chocolate goodness whenever you want.
Reheating
To bring the brownie cookies back to life, I pop them in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes or microwave them for 15-20 seconds. This softens them right up and revives that just-baked texture and warmth.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Brownie cookies are denser and fudgier than traditional chocolate chip cookies because they incorporate cocoa powder and melted butter combined with vegetable oil, mimicking a brownie texture, rather than being cakey or crispy.
Yes, you can. Just reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe so your cookies don’t turn out too salty. Unsalted butter is preferred for better control of seasoning.
Using a silicone baking mat helps grip the cookie dough and prevents excessive spreading. Additionally, chilling the formed dough balls for 30 minutes before baking can also help keep the shape.
Absolutely! Feel free to swap in butterscotch, mint, cinnamon, or peanut butter chips to customize the flavor according to your taste.
Final Thoughts
This Brownie Cookie Recipe has quickly earned a permanent spot in my baking lineup because it brings together the best of two worlds: brownies and cookies. It’s the kind of recipe I love making when I want to share something indulgent with friends or just treat myself to an extra-special chocolate moment. Give it a try—you’ll be amazed how easily you can create these fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth delights right in your own kitchen.
Print
Brownie Cookie Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 15 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Deliciously fudgy brownie cookies that combine the rich flavors of brownies with the chewy texture of cookies. These brownie cookies are easy to make, featuring cocoa powder, melted butter, and semi-sweet chocolate chips for a perfect treat.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter - melted
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 large egg - room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sugars
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar - packed
Add-ins
- ⅓ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, thoroughly mix cocoa powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, and vegetable oil. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Then fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips gently.
- Shape Dough: Scoop the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-8 minutes.
- Cool Completely: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Use unsalted butter for balanced flavor. If using salted butter, reduce added salt to avoid oversalting.
- Scrape down the mixing bowl sides to evenly incorporate all ingredients.
- Do not overbake; baking at 12 minutes achieves a moist and tender brownie cookie texture.
- Choose between parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent cookies from spreading.
- Underbaking slightly helps maintain a chewy, brownie-like texture.
- Try swapping chocolate chips for butterscotch, cinnamon, mint, or peanut butter chips for variations.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months or freeze cookie dough balls after flash freezing for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen adding 1-2 minutes to bake time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
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