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Brownie Crinkle Cookies

These brownie crinkle cookies truly are just like brownies in cookie form. From their chewy, soft centers to their crispy edges, they’re irresistible.

image of brownie crinkle cookies that are cooling on parchment paper

Ingredients & Substitutions in This Brownie Crinkle Cookie Recipe

While I love this recipe just the way it is, I know some people have different preferences than me! For example, if you know you love milk chocolate, use that instead of dark chocolate.

Or you might not have all these ingredients on hand. If you find yourself in either of these situations, below are some swaps and variations that can be made.

image of brownie crinkle cookies that are cooling on parchment paper

Unsalted Butter

The reason why most recipes including this one call for unsalted butter is that different brands of butter use different amounts of salt.

There’s no way to know how much salt is added to a recipe unless you use unsalted butter, then add in salt separately.

To make sure your cookies taste just right, it’s best to use unsalted butter!

However, if you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it. The cookies will taste a bit saltier but will still taste great. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for.

The Chocolate

This part is up to you! I like these cookies best with good-quality dark chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate if you don’t have any on hand.

Chopped-up chocolate bars, chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks all work great.

image of melted chocolate and butter that have been slowly heated and melted to make brownie cookies

Eggs

The eggs help give these cookies structure and bring the batter together.

If you don’t have any eggs on hand or want to make egg free brownie cookies, you can use a flaxseed egg! Use one tablespoon of ground flax seeds and three tablespoons of water to replace one egg.

Be sure to grind the flax seeds into a fine powder using a coffee or spice grinder and then whisk it in the water until the mixture becomes gelatinous.

Granulated Sugar

A little bit of sugar gives these brownie cookies the perfect touch of sweetness and helps create that tender texture.

You don’t need a ton because the chocolate is also sweet, but I wouldn’t recommend reducing the amount of sugar in this recipe or it will negatively affect the texture and spread of the cookies.

If you prefer your brownies with brown sugar, you can use it in place of the granulated sugar in this recipe. Light or dark brown sugar will work.

My only note is that it will be harder to get crinkly tops on your cookies if you use brown sugar because of the extra moisture that brown sugar will add to the cookie dough.

image of ingredients laid out to make brownie crinkle cookies

Instant Espresso Powder

Adding instant espresso or coffee powder to brownies can be surprisingly polarizing. Some people love it, others hate it.

I personally am a big fan and think it really elevates the flavor of these cookies. This recipe doesn’t use enough for it to be a prominent flavor, but it does add depth of flavor.

However, if you really dislike coffee, you can omit this ingredient from your cookie batter.

All-Purpose Flour

These brownie cookies are made with all-purpose flour.

But don’t worry, these can easily be made into gluten-free brownie cookies! You can use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the AP flour in this recipe (cup for cup).

Just be sure to stir the batter really well to help give it structure. It needs extra help since it doesn’t have any gluten!

Also, let the batter sit for 30 minutes before baking the cookies. This helps the flour absorb moisture from the batter and prevents the cookies from having a gritty texture.

Sea Salt

Adding a garnish of flaky sea salt not only looks beautiful, it also helps balance out the richness of these cookies! I highly recommend adding a sprinkle once the cookies are baked.

How Many Cookies Does This Brownie Cookie Recipe Make?

This recipe makes 12 pretty large cookies. Once they’re baked, they’re about 3 inches in diameter and each cookie is made with 3 Tbsp of cookie dough.

image of a baked brownie crinkle cookie being held up to show it's crinkly top

If you want to make smaller cookies or use a smaller cookie scoop, decrease the bake time based on the size of the cookie.

For example, if you use 1 1/2 Tbsp of dough per cookie, bake them for about half as long as the recipe calls for.

Tips for Making the Best Brownie Crinkle Cookies

  • Ingredients at room temperature mix together better, so set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Give the eggs and sugar a good whisk by hand, for at least a minute or use an electric mixer! This incorporates air into the mixture which helps them bake up with a crinkly top.
  • Let your cookie dough cool slightly (2-3 minutes) until it makes thick ribbons when lifted with a spatula or whisk (like in the photo below). This will help the cookies spread less and ensure they bake up with chewy centers.
  • Use a cookie scoop to make sure your cookies are uniformly sized.
  • Space your cookies about 3 inches apart before baking them. They spread a lot as they bake.
  • Press extra chunks of chocolate onto the cookies once they’re baked and garnish with sea salt for a little extra pizazz.
image of thick brownie cookie batter that's ready to be scooped and baked

Making These Brownie Crinkle Cookies in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cookies in advance! If stored in an airtight container, they can last for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.

Sadly, the batter cannot be made in advance and frozen since it needs to be slightly warm when scooped and baked.

Baked cookies can be frozen. These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in a Ziplock bag or airtight container.

Move them to the fridge the day before you plan to eat them to reduce the temperature shock, then let them sit out at room temperature for a few hours before eating.

photo of bitten into brownie cookie to show soft and chewy center

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for brownie crinkle cookies, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Yield: 12

Brownie Crinkle Cookies

image of brownie crinkle cookies that are cooling on parchment paper

These brownie crinkle cookies have soft, chewy centers and crispy edges just like your favorite brownies! They even have that signature crinkly top we know and love.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups high-quality dark chocolate chips, like Guittard or Ghirardelli (230g)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature (112g)
  • 1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee (2g) - optional
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt (1g)
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (82g)
  • 2 tsp cornstarch (6g)
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda (3g)
  • 1/3 cup dark or milk chocolate chips (60g)
  • Flaky sea salt to garnish

Instructions

Brownie Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
  2. Place 1 1/3 cups dark chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of unsalted butter into a heat-proof bowl.
  3. Melt in the microwave by heating in 15-second intervals (stirring between) or by using a double boiler. Make sure you don't ever heat the chocolate, or it can seize up and become chunky. Heat and stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
  4. In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 2 large eggs, 1/2 tsp of espresso powder, and 1/4 tsp of salt.
  5. Whisk for a minute to incorporate air into the mixture. It should become lighter in color. This will help give these brownie crinkle cookies that shiny, crinkly texture.
  6. Pour the slightly cooled chocolate/butter mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk together until combined.
  7. Sift 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp cornstarch, and 1/2 tsp baking soda into the chocolate egg mixture. Mix until the batter is smooth, and the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
  8. Let the dough cool for a couple of minutes, or until it runs off your whisk in thick ribbons when lifted like in the picture above.
  9. Mix in the remaining 1/3 cup of chocolate chips.
  10. Use a cookie scoop to make 12 uniformly sized cookie dough balls (about 3 Tbsp per cookie) on the prepared baking sheets. These cookies spread as they bake, so place them at least 3 inches apart.
  11. Bake for 12-13 minutes and rotate the pans halfway through to make sure the cookies bake evenly. Garnish with a sprinkle of flakey sea salt and additional chocolate chunks if desired.
  12. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

Yield:

This recipe makes 12 cookies using 3 Tbsp of cookie dough per cookie.

If you want to make smaller cookies or use a smaller cookie scoop, decrease the bake time based on the size of the cookie.

For example, if you use 1 1/2 Tbsp of dough per cookie, bake them for about half as long as the recipe calls for.

Substitutions & Swaps:

If you want to make substitutions in this recipe, please see the section above that covers this.

Tips for Making the Best Brownie Crinkle Cookies

  • Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better, so be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Give the eggs and sugar a good whisk by hand for at least 2 minutes or use an electric mixer! This incorporates air into the mixture, which helps them bake up with a crackly, flaky top.
  • Let your cookie dough cool slightly (2-3 minutes) until it makes thick ribbons when lifted with a spatula. This will help the cookies spread less and ensure they bake up with chewy centers.
  • Use a cookie scoop to make sure your cookies are uniformly sized.
  • Space your cookies about 3 inches apart before baking them. They spread a lot as they bake.
  • Press extra chunks of chocolate onto the cookies once they're baked and garnish with sea salt for a little extra pizazz.

Making These Brownie Crinkle Cookies in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cookies in advance! If stored in an airtight container, they can last for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in the fridge.

Sadly, the batter cannot be made in advance and frozen since it needs to be slightly warm when scooped and baked.

Baked cookies can be frozen! These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in a Ziplock bag or airtight container.

Move them to the fridge the day before you plan to eat them to reduce the temperature shock, then let them sit out at room temperature for a few hours before eating.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 232Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 44mgSodium 171mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 20gProtein 3g

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Sar

Thursday 12th of December 2024

I never write reviews but I am very frustrated with this recipe. I do a lot of baking, the flavor was there but something is missing because the look of yours in photos has height and volume. I even took notes from previous comments and chilled my dough for 30 minutes.

I tried with a larger ice cream scoop at 14 mins and a smaller scooper at 12 minutes, both came gave me brownie crisps, nothing like your photos. Extremely disappointing.

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Noel

Monday 29th of July 2024

My family loves these cookies! Was wondering if you took these same ingredients and put them in a baking pan could these work to make regular brownies?

Ravisha Kathuria

Saturday 23rd of December 2023

Hi. What if I use icing sugar instead if granulated sugar?! Will it give me the same or better crinkles or will it have no effect?!

Chelsweets

Tuesday 26th of December 2023

Hi Ravisha,

If you use icing sugar instead of granulated sugar in this recipe the cookies won't spread the same way, and I don't think you'll end up with proper crinkles! The type of sugar you use to bake cookies does have a big impact on how cookies bake. Hope that helps, happy baking!

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