Name: Easy Brownie Cookies (Fudgy Centers)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ½ cup Unsalted Butter - melted and slightly cooled; ¾ cup Granulated Sugar; ¼ cup Brown Sugar - packed; ½ cup Cocoa Powder - Dutch-process preferred, sifted; 1 cup All-Purpose Flour - spooned and leveled; 2 large Eggs - room temperature; 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract; ½ teaspoon Baking Powder; ¼ teaspoon Salt; Optional: ¾ cup Chocolate Chips - semi-sweet or dark

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Easy brownie cookies pack fudgy brownie texture into soft, crackle-topped rounds that bake in 10 minutes. One bowl, no chilling, no mixer required. The edges set while centers stay dense and chewy—like biting into the middle of a brownie pan.

Quick Summary

This is the cookie for people who want brownie intensity without committing to a full pan. Drop the dough, bake fast, and pull them when they still look slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool but keep that signature fudgy bite.

Why This Recipe Works

Drop cookie format eliminates chilling time and gets you to baking in 10 minutes
High cocoa ratio creates intense chocolate flavor without melting chocolate
Minimal flour keeps texture dense and fudgy instead of cakey
Underbaking slightly leaves centers soft while edges provide structure
One-bowl method means faster prep and less cleanup

Ingredients Notes

Unsalted Butter – Melted butter creates denser texture than creamed butter and streamlines mixing

Granulated Sugar – Builds the signature crackled surface as cookies spread and bake

Brown Sugar – Adds moisture and chewiness that keeps centers fudgy

Cocoa Powder – Use high-quality Dutch-process for darker color and smoother chocolate taste

All-Purpose Flour – Minimal amount prevents cakey texture and maintains brownie-like density

Eggs – Bind the dough and create structure without making cookies cakey

Vanilla Extract – Enhances chocolate depth without competing flavors

Baking Powder – Small amount gives slight lift without puffing cookies into cakes

Salt – Balances sweetness and intensifies chocolate flavor

Optional Chocolate Chips – Fold in for extra chocolate pockets throughout

How to Make Easy Brownie Cookies

Mix the Dough

Melt the butter in a large bowl and let it cool for 2 minutes. Whisk in both sugars until the mixture looks thick and glossy. Add the eggs and vanilla, whisking until completely smooth and uniform in color.

Sift the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the wet ingredients. Fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be thick, glossy, and scoop-able—similar to thick brownie batter. If using chocolate chips, fold them in now.

Shape and Bake

Scoop dough using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or spoon, rolling quickly between your palms to form rough balls. Space them 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets—they spread moderately during baking.

Bake at 350°F on the middle rack. The cookies are done when edges look set and matte but centers still appear slightly wet and shiny. The surface will develop characteristic cracks. They’ll look underbaked, but this is correct.

Cool Properly

Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. They’re fragile when hot and need this time to firm up. The residual heat continues cooking the centers slightly. Transfer to a wire rack using a thin spatula and cool completely. The texture sets as they cool to room temperature.

Pro Tip

Pull cookies from the oven when centers still look wet and glossy. They seem underbaked but will firm to the perfect fudgy texture as they cool on the pan. Overbaking by even 1-2 minutes turns them cakey instead of brownie-like.

Expert Tips

The dough should look glossy and thick, not dry or crumbly
Cookies will puff slightly in the oven then deflate as they cool—this is normal
For perfectly round cookies, gently tap the baking sheet on the counter right after removing from oven
If cookies spread too much, refrigerate dough for 15 minutes before scooping
Edges should feel set when lightly touched, but centers should still look soft

Storage & Freezing

Store brownie cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.

Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 20 minutes before eating. You can also freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a bag and bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to bake time.

FAQ

Why are my cookies cakey instead of fudgy? You likely overbaked them or added too much flour. Remove when centers still look wet, and measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling.

Can I make these without a cookie scoop? Yes. Use a tablespoon to portion dough, then roll into balls. Aim for about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie for consistent size and baking.

Do I need to chill the dough? No. The dough is ready to bake immediately. Only chill if your kitchen is very warm and cookies are spreading too thin.

Can I use natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch-process? Yes, but the flavor will be slightly more acidic and the color lighter. Dutch-process gives smoother, darker results.

How do I get the crackled tops? The cracks form naturally as cookies bake and spread. Make sure your dough has enough sugar and don’t overbake—dry cookies won’t crack properly.