I reimagined brownies as Gooey Brownie Cookies and I’m sharing the single surprising trick behind their crinkly, shiny tops, gooey centers, and sprinkling of flaky sea salt.

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I almost didn’t share these because they keep vanishing from my counter, but here goes. These chewy, chocolatey brownie cookies have crinkly, shiny tops and centers so gooey they almost spill out when you bite in.

I leaned hard on unsweetened cocoa powder for a deep bitter chocolate note and a scatter of flaky sea salt on each cookie flips the whole thing into something strangely addictive. They’re messy, imperfect, edges crack and centers droop, which honestly makes them better.

I call them Gooey Brownie Cookies, and once you try one you wont stop thinking about them.

Ingredients

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Unsalted butter: mostly fat, adds richness and chew, little protein or fibre.
Granulated and brown sugars: they sweeten, add chew and slight caramel notes, no fibre.
Eggs: they give protein, help bind, and make cookies fudgy, you’ll love it.
All purpose flour: mostly carbs, adds structure, not much fibre, not very nutritious.
Cocoa powder: intense chocolate flavor, antioxidants, low in sugar, adds bitter depth.
Chopped chocolate: gives melty pockets, brings fat and sugar, boosts chocolate intensity.
Sea salt: tiny sprinkle brightens flavor, balances sweetness, adds crunch sometimes.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled a bit

1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temp

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (130 g) all purpose flour

1 cup (100 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional but it boosts chocolate flavor

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

8 oz (225 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped or chips

Flaky sea salt for sprinkling

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, set oven rack in the middle.

2. In a medium bowl whisk the melted, slightly cooled butter with the granulated and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until glossy, then stir in the vanilla. This little whisking gives the tops that shiny, crinkly look so don’t skip it.

3. In another bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, instant espresso powder (if using), baking powder and the 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt. Sifting gets rid of lumps in the cocoa.

4. Fold the dry mix into the wet mixture in two additions until just combined. Don’t overmix though, you want the batter thick and fudgy.

5. Fold in the chopped chocolate, saving a few chunks to press on top of the dough balls later.

6. Chill the dough 30 minutes if you want taller, chewier cookies; you can also bake right away if you’re impatient. Chilling reduces spread and concentrates the chocolate flavor.

7. Scoop dough (about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons for medium cookies) onto the prepared sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Press a couple reserved chocolate chunks into each mound and gently flatten the tops so they bake evenly.

8. Bake 9 to 13 minutes depending on size – edges should be set, tops shiny and cracked but centers still soft. Rotate the pan halfway if your oven heats unevenly.

9. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt so it sticks. Let cookies cool on the sheet 10 to 15 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

10. Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3 days or freeze for longer. To revive gooeyness warm briefly in the microwave or oven before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C, rack in the middle)

2. Rimmed baking sheet plus parchment paper or a silicone baking mat

3. Two mixing bowls (one medium for wet, one for dry)

4. Whisk (for glossy, crinkly tops)

5. Fine mesh sieve or sifter (to get lumps out of the cocoa)

6. Rubber spatula (for folding and scraping the bowl)

7. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale (grams give the best consistency)

8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon (1 to 1 1/2 tbsp size), lightly oiled if it sticks

9. Sharp chef’s knife or bench scraper (to chop the chocolate)

10. Wire cooling rack and an airtight container for storage, dont forget flaky sea salt for finishing

FAQ

How do I get fudgy, brownie like centers instead of cakey cookies? A: Use the melted butter called for, dont overmix, and pull them from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look soft, about 9 to 12 minutes at 350°F (175°C) depending on size. They’ll finish setting as they cool, so err on the side of slightly underbaking.

My dough is super sticky, do I have to chill it? A: You dont have to, but chilling 30 minutes to overnight makes scooping easier and reduces spread, plus the flavor deepens. If chilled hard, let balls sit 10 minutes at room temp before baking so they flatten a bit in the oven.

Can I swap natural cocoa for Dutch process cocoa? A: Yes, you can. Natural cocoa will taste a bit brighter and maybe a little more acidic, but the cookies will still be great. If you have both try Dutch process for a richer, smoother chocolate note.

How should I measure the flour? A: Weigh it if you can: 130 g for the recipe. If using cups, spoon the flour into the cup and level it off, dont pack it down. Too much flour makes the cookies dry and cakey.

When do I sprinkle the flaky sea salt and how much? A: Sprinkle a light pinch on each cookie right after they come out of the oven while still warm. A little goes a long way, it brightens the chocolate and makes them taste more intense.

How do I store or freeze them? A: Cool completely then store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3 days, in the fridge up to a week. Freeze baked cookies or scooped dough balls for up to 3 months, thaw or warm briefly before eating for best texture.

Brownie Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Butter: swap the 1 cup (226 g) melted butter with 3/4 cup (180 ml) neutral oil (canola, sunflower) for same chew, cookies might spread a bit more; or use 3/4 cup melted coconut oil if you don’t mind a faint coconut note; for a lower-fat option try 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, but cookies will be cakier and less rich.
Sugars: if you want less refined sugar, replace both the granulated and light brown sugar with 2 cups coconut sugar 1:1 (same weight/volume); or swap the 1 1/4 cups granulated with 3/4 cup honey or maple syrup, but cut other liquids slightly (about 2 to 3 tbsp) since syrups add moisture.
Flour: use a gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose blend at the same weight (130 g) with no other changes, it’s the easiest swap; or use whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for a nuttier, slightly denser cookie, just beware it will absorb a bit more liquid.
Chocolate: the 8 oz (225 g) semisweet can be swapped for equal weight bittersweet/dark chocolate or chocolate chips; if you only have milk chocolate, use the same weight but expect a sweeter, milder cookie, you might want to cut sugar a little.

Pro Tips

– Weigh your ingredients if you can, especially the flour and cocoa. Scooping cups means you’ll likely pack too much flour and the cookies turn cakier, not fudgy. If you only have cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level it off, don’t scoop.

– Let the melted butter cool until it feels just warm to the touch and bring eggs to room temp before mixing, it’ll help the batter emulsify and give that glossy, crinkled top. Whisk the butter and sugars well, like for 30 to 60 seconds, it matters more than you’d think.

– Chill the dough longer than 30 minutes for chewier, taller cookies, like a few hours or overnight will deepen the chocolate flavor. If you freeze scoops, you can bake them straight from frozen, just add a minute or two to the bake time.

– Use big chunks of good chocolate and press a few on top right after scooping so they look nice when baked, then sprinkle flaky salt as soon as they come out of the oven so it sticks. To keep them soft put a slice of bread in the storage container, replace the bread every day or two.

Brownie Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

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I reimagined brownies as Gooey Brownie Cookies and I'm sharing the single surprising trick behind their crinkly, shiny tops, gooey centers, and sprinkling of flaky sea salt.

Servings

servings

Calories

324

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C, rack in the middle)