Crinkly Fudge Brownie Cookies Recipe | Also The Crumbs Please (2024)

Crinkly, fudgy chocolate brownie cookies are the indulgent treat you have been looking for. They are easy to make, take little prep time, and you don't need to chill the dough. I can't wait to teach you how to make brownie cookies from scratch with my easy-to-understand instructions. Plus, I give you a video and photos to help too. You are going to love sinking your teeth into these fudgy chocolate treats. By the way, have you tried my chocolate cookies recipe yet?

Why you will love this brownie crinkle cookies recipe:

• easy and quick to make
• no dough chilling
• fudgy centers, crisp edges, and crinkly tops
• made from scratch
• store very well - they stay soft for 4 days

Ingredients notes and substitutions

• Semi-sweet chocolate - I don't recommend melting chocolate chips for the dough because chocolate chips have lower amounts of cocoa, added stabilizers, and emulsifiers, and are designed to stay in shape during baking, and are not meant to melt. The cookies wouldn't spread that much and end up dry and crumbly. I prefer melting chocolate bars from the candy aisle for the dough, but you can use baking chocolate bars as well. Use any chocolate that you would eat as a treat because the taste of the chocolate has a huge impact on the taste of the cookies. You can fold chocolate chips into the cookie dough tough. In my air fryer brownies post, I talk in more detail about the best chocolate for brownie treats.
• Butter and egg - to make vegan brownie cookies substitute the butter and egg following my vegan chocolate chip cookies recipe. The rest of the recipe stays the same. Please be sure to use vegan chocolate as well. Alternatively, consider using an egg substitute for brownies if needed.
• Baking powder - please don't swap for baking soda. Look at other baking powder substitutes. Otherwise, the cookies spread more, have a completely different texture, and turn out more like regular chocolate cookies. To learn more about the effect of baking powder vs. baking soda in cookie dough, read my chocolate chip cookies post where I talk about this topic in depth.
• Oil - it's just 1 tablespoon of oil in the recipe, but I don't recommend swapping it for butter. This tiny amount of oil makes the cookies beyond fudgy, brownie-like, and adds moisture.
• Sugars - I had the best results when using half granulated and half light brown sugar. It's the perfect balance of spreading (white sugar) and adding moisture (brown sugar).
• Cocoa powder - I used Dutch-processed cocoa powder but if you don't have this type of cocoa available you can use unsweetened natural cocoa powder. Read more about the difference between these two types of cocoa powder.
• Espresso powder - it's optional. You can leave it out if you don't have it on hand. Its purpose is to deepen the chocolate flavor, but as said, it's optional, and the cookies are either way very chocolaty and delicious. Consider using a suitable espresso powder substitute if desired.

Step-by-step instructions

In a heatproof medium-sized bowl, microwave chocolate and butter. Stir every 20 seconds to avoid the chocolate from burning. Then add the cocoa and espresso powder, and whisk to combine. Let sit for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the egg, sugar, and brown sugar until pale and creamy.

Add the vanilla, oil, and chocolate mixture and mix until well combined.

Then mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt just until it comes together and it's a smooth texture.

Note: If you are always tempted to eat some of the raw chocolate batter (like me), I'm sure you will love my edible brownie batter recipe!

Add the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips and mix to combine. Set aside. Lightly coat the inside and outside of a cookie scoop with baking spray or a few drops of oil and scoop dollops of cookie dough...

onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets and bake one sheet at a time for 8-9 minutes...

until the top of the cookies has little cracks all over. Then remove from the oven and let cool.

Tips for success

• Don't save on the quality of the chocolate. You get the best tasting cookies when you use chocolate that you would eat as a treat.
• Avoid overmixing the cookie dough. Stick to the recommended mixing times.
• Lightly oil the cookie scoop you use to scoop the cookie dough for easy handling.
• Remove the cookies as soon as the surface has little cracks all over. If you take them out earlier, they will be underdone and too gooey. If you remove them too late, they end up hard and dry.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead?

Unfortunately not. This cookie dough is designed for immediate baking. If you chill the mixed dough, it will become hard, and the look and texture of the cookies will be completely different. But if you plan to make the cookies ahead, I have good news for you. Read the next question.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, you can freeze the baked cookies. Place them in an airtight container, and they will last around 3 months in the freezer. They are perfect for making ahead for the holidays or other events. When you are ready to serve them, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for about 1-2 hours. Once defrosted, you can eat them at room temperature or toss them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to get them warm again.

How long do they stay soft?

If stored in an airtight container at room temperature, they stay fresh and soft for 4 days.

More cookie recipes

If you love cookies as much as I do, try some of my favorite recipes that are well received by my family, friends, and readers all around the world. By the way, have you seen my handy list of cookie recipes with chocolate chips?

• Peanut Butter Cookies
• Brown Butter Cookies
• Oatmeal Cookies
• Snickerdoodles
• White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies