These Brownie Crinkle Cookies are rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey with shiny crackled tops and soft brownie centers. An easy one-bowl cookie that looks bakery-worthy and tastes even better.
If you love the rich, fudgy texture of chocolate brownies and the crisp, shiny tops of classic crinkle cookies, these Brownie Crinkle Cookies are the perfect mashup. They bake up with crackly, glossy tops, gooey centers, and chewy edges, just like your favorite brownies, but in cookie form. Each bite is intensely chocolatey and completely irresistible.
Best of all, the dough comes together with simple pantry staples and is ready in under 30 minutes, making these cookies perfect for busy days or the holiday season. Perfect for holiday cookie trays, gifting, or simply enjoying as a chocolatey treat for yourself, I guarantee these will become your new favorite cookies.
If you love brownies as much as I do then try my espresso brownies, m&m brownies or small batch fudgy brownies
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Why You'll Love These Brownie Cookies
- Fudgy Texture: These cookies have the dense, fudgy texture of a brownie with the chewy edges.
- Chocolate Lover’s Dream: Packed with cocoa and chocolate chips, these cookies are incredibly rich and chocolatey.
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and no need for chilling, these cookies are ready in no time.
- Irresistible Texture: You get crispy, crinkled edges, a chewy exterior, and a perfectly gooey, fudgy center.
Ingredient Notes
- Chocolate: For best results use high-quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips for a luxurious, rich flavor. You can also use chopped chocolate bars.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred for control over the salt content. If you're salted butter make sure to skip the salt in the dry ingredients.
- Granulated Sugar: Granulated white sugar provides sweetness and a chewy texture to the cookies.
- Light Brown sugar: Makes the cookies chewy. You can also use dark brown sugar in place of light brown sugar.
- Cocoa Powder: I like to use dutch-processed cocoa powder. You can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder as well.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature for even mixing and to achieve the perfect fudgy texture.
- Flour: All-purpose flour creates the structure for the brownies.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract complements the chocolate flavour.
- Flaky Sea Salt: I like to sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top of the cookies after baking to enhance the chocolate flavor and add a subtle sweet-salty finish.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chocolate Chips: Stir in ½ cup of chocolate chips (dark, semi-sweet, or white chocolate) with the flour for extra chocolate pockets.
- Espresso Powder: Add ½ teaspoon of espresso powder to the chocolate mixture. It enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cookies taste like coffee.
- Make them festive: If making these around Christmas you can add ½ teaspoon of pure peppermint extract and top the baked cookies with some crushed candy canes.
- Spice: A pinch of cayenne pepper (⅛ teaspoon) can be added with the dry ingredients for a subtle warmth that complements the chocolate.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is how to make these easy brownie crinkle cookies. You can use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl an electric mixer. Start by lining 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler, large microwave safe bowl placed over a medium saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave in 30 second intervals.
Beat Eggs and Vanilla: In the bowl of your mixer beat the eggs and both sugars at high speed for 3-4 mins until tripled in volume and the sugars are completely dissolved.Do not rush this step as this is what gives the brownie cookies those shiny crinkly tops.
Beat chocolate with butter: With the mixer on medium speed beat the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the eggs. Slowly add the vanilla extract.
Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in chocolate chips or chunks if desired.
Form the Cookies: Using a tablespoon or large ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each). Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tops are crinkled and edges are set. The centers will look slightly underbaked but will firm up as they cool.
Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Crinkle Cookies
- Melt Chocolate Gently: Melt the butter and chocolate slowly, either in a microwave in short bursts or over a double boiler, to prevent scorching.
- Don’t Overmix: Once the flour is added, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to tougher cookies.
- Bake Just Right: Do not overbake! These cookies are best when slightly gooey in the center. They will continue to set as they cool. Look for set edges but a still-soft center.
- Room Temperature Eggs: Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the fat, leading to a smoother batter and a more consistent texture.
- Space Cookies Apart: Leave enough space between each cookie on the baking sheet, as they will spread slightly. I like to place 6 cookies at a time.
FAQ’s
Crinkle tops form when the eggs and sugar are whisked long enough to aerate the batter. Make sure to whisk for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is pale and thick. Also, be sure your oven is fully preheated before baking.
No, melted chocolate is essential for this recipe. It creates the fudgy texture and helps form the signature glossy crinkle tops. Cocoa powder alone won't give the same results.
Too much flour or overbaking can make the cookies cakey. Measure flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method and pull the cookies out when the centers still look slightly underbaked.
Brownie crinkle cookie batter should be soft and thick like brownie batter. If it feels too runny to scoop, chill it for 15-20 minutes. Overly warm chocolate or butter can also make the batter loose.
Storage & Freezing
- Storage: Store these brownie crinkle cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them fresh, add a slice of bread to the container to maintain moisture.
- Freezing: These cookies freeze well! Place the baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before enjoying.
Recipe
Brownie Crinkle Cookies
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- 2 Baking sheets
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 7 oz (200 grams) semisweet chocolate chopped
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup (55 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 cup (125 grams) All-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Flaky Sea Salt Optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave in 30 second intervals. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer or a bowl using a hand mixer beat the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract for 3-4 mins until light and fluffy and nearly doubled in volume.
- Pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking powder to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Using a large cookie scoop, roll out as many cookie balls out of the dough as possible and place them on a cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and crinkled, but the centers still look slightly soft and gooey.Optionally, sprinkle the tops of the cookies with flaky sea salt.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The crinkles will become more prominent as they cool.
Notes
- Cooling Note: Allow the baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They will be too delicate to move right out of the oven.
- Whip the Eggs Well: Whisking the eggs and sugar for at least 2-3 minutes is essential. This step aerates the batter and creates those classic glossy, crackled tops.
- Do Not Overbake: The centers should still look slightly soft when you pull the cookies from the oven. They will continue to set as they cool, giving you that perfect fudgy texture.
- Batter Will Be Soft: The dough should resemble thick brownie batter. If it feels too loose to scoop, chill the dough for 15-20 minutes.
- For Extra Chocolate: Fold in chocolate chunks or chips for melty pockets of chocolate in every bite.
- Flavor Variations: Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract for a holiday twist, or 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor
Megan Rawls says
Does this recipe call for 12 eggs??? Or is that a typo?
Swapna Sachdev says
Hi Megan
I am so sorry for confusion.That is supposed to be 2 eggs. I’ve fixed the recipe card now. I hope you try this recipe.
Thanks,
Swapna
Paula Campos says
12 eggs??
Swapna Sachdev says
Hi Paula
That was supposed to be 2 eggs. I have fixed the recipe card now. I hope you try these.
Thanks,
Swapna