When you can’t choose between a brownie and a cookie, make this recipe. These brownies-in-cookie-form are fudgy and soft in the center like a brownie, with crisp, cookie-like edges. Melted chocolate, cocoa powder and chocolate chips make these triple-chocolate treats intensely chocolatey. I’ve also made variations with peanut butter and orange before, but this updated classic is even more addictive.
Years ago I adapted this idea after seeing a version on Nigella Lawson’s site and loved how decadent the cookies turned out. This time I used the full recommended sweetness and the cookies kept a longer-lasting fudgy center. Sugar in cookies helps retain moisture and prevents them from turning cakey — a simple trick that keeps the texture brownie-like.
I reduced the chocolate chips slightly (one cup instead of two) and they’re still intensely chocolatey, so you don’t need extra to get great flavour. Bake a little longer if you prefer crisp cookies, but for the best balance bake 10 minutes, then cool completely on the tray so they firm up while staying soft inside. The melted chocolate is the key: it creates the gooey, fudgy texture that distinguishes these cookies.
The dough is slightly sticky, so chilling helps. I prefer to chill until the dough is easy to scoop rather than rock-hard. Very cold dough flattens less and can make shaping harder, though it will give a crinklier top if that’s what you like. These cookies are excellent with a strong cup of coffee.
Brownie Cookies
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 125 gms dark chocolate (70% to 75%), finely chopped
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature (115 gms)
- 1/4 cup caster sugar (50 gms)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (105 gms; preferably the soft brown kind)
- 1 egg (see notes)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 gms)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (20 gms)
- 1/2 tsp salt, if using unsalted butter
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
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Melt the chopped dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave in short bursts. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
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Beat the butter and both sugars with a hand mixer on medium until light and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix briefly to combine.
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Add the melted chocolate and mix on low until smooth. Sift in the flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder, then fold gently with a spatula or wooden spoon into a thick, sticky dough. Stir in the chocolate chips.
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Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until firm enough to scoop but not rock-hard. If the dough becomes very hard, let it sit at room temperature 15–20 minutes before scooping so the cookies will spread and stay soft in the center. Very cold dough will create crinklier tops.
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Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
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Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to portion 20–22 cookies. Space them at least an inch apart on the tray; you may need to bake in batches depending on oven size.
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Bake 10–12 minutes until the cookies have spread and are still slightly puffy. Gently press the tops with the back of a spoon if you want them flatter. Cool on the tray about 20 minutes to let them set, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. For firmer, drier cookies bake about 15 minutes.
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Store cooled cookies in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to a week. In very humid climates refrigerate after a couple of days. Cookies freeze well; thaw to room temperature or gently reheat before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
*Prep time excludes chilling. Bake time is per batch for soft-baked cookies.
*There is an eggless version of this recipe if you need a vegan or egg-free option.
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