Bakery Style Brownie Cookies

For these bakery style brownie cookies, I started working off this four thick and chunky chocolate chip cookie recipe wanting to bring you the ‘chocolate’ version. The first step was to swap out some of the flour for cocoa, but in a subsequent test I wanted to bloom the cocoa, like I do in my brownies, by adding it to the hot butter and sugar, so I changed things up a bit. 

This had the effect of changing the look and texture of the cookies, making them more brownie like with a crispy crust and a gooey center. By the fourth test I could not deny: these weren’t just big double chocolate chip cookies anymore, they were really more of a brownie cookie – which made sense, given that crucial change I made with the cocoa. And honestly, they looked like something I would find at a bakery – hence the name =) 

Recipe Ingredients 

Butter: unsalted butter. Salted is fine too, just reduce the added salt to the dough if you don’t want it overly salty. 

Brown sugar: light or dark. 

Sugar: fine granulated sugar. Please note, reducing the amount of sugar added to the recipe will lead to structural changes in the cookie. 

Cocoa: dutch process cocoa. Different types of cocoa can lead to changes in cookie flavor and texture; black cocoa will often cause a cookie to spread more and natural cocoa to spread less. For this recipe stick with dutch process to get the cookies pictured. 

Egg: one large egg. 

Vanilla: pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. 

Salt: fine sea salt. If using table salt, use half the amount. 

Flour: all purpose flour of a medium protein content (11-11.7%). If using a lower protein content (less than 11%), the cookies will spread more and vice versa with a higher protein content (like bread flour). 

Leavening: we’re using baking soda, which spreads the cookies, and baking powder, which will puff them up so they crack. 

Chocolate: white chocolate chips help to balance out the dark cocoa cookie but you can use any chocolate chip you like. For white chocolate, always check the label: it should include cocoa butter in the ingredients. I also tried these with caramelized white chocolate and, ugh they were soooo good though they did spread more. 

How to make Bakery Style Brownie Cookies 

This dough needs to chill for an hour so plan ahead. 

Set the butter in a bowl that’s safe to go in the microwave and over it pour the sugar so the sugar covers the butter. 

Set the bowl in the microwave and run it on 100% power for 1 minute. Whisk the dough really well. 

Add the cocoa to the hot mix and whisk well then return it to the microwave for 30 seconds – this step blooms the cocoa so the flavor is more intense and the cocoa dissolves better into the dough. This is how I make brownies. 

Whisk in the vanilla and salt and the egg, very well. You’ll see a consistency change in the dough as it becomes thick and shiny. Let it cool briefly so the heat of the dough doesn’t melt the chocolate chips. 

Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder and stir to combine. 

Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine. 

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least an hour to chill. This step is essential as it hydrates the flour and firms up the butter. If you skip it your cookies will spread and be flat. 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (the buttery side of the butter wrapper is great for greasing on the pan before adding the parchment; the grease will help it stick). 

Divide the cookie dough into four equal portions. Roll each dough ball between your palms to smooth it into a ball. 

Bake for about 15 minutes; you’re looking for cookies that have spread but are still thick, and big cracks all over. 

Let them cool briefly on the pan, then serve. 

Troubleshooting 

My cookies spread too much! 

Reasons this can happen with this dough: the protein content of the flour was too low, the dough either wasn’t chilled sufficiently, or big pieces of chopped chocolate rather than chocolate chips. The latter holds shape, the former will melt and push the dough out to spread. 

My cookies didn’t spread much? 

A few reasons this can happen: there was too much flour in the dough caused by measuring by cup rather than scale, the cookie dough wasn’t covered while it chilled so some of the moisture evaporated. Similarly, if you lost some butter when it was heated (it sputtered out of the bowl) some moisture was lost which would contribute. Egg size will also make a difference; if you used a small egg (I ask for a large egg but sometimes the ‘large egg’ boxes have varied sizes) then the dough won’t have enough moisture. 

FAQ on Bakery Style Brownie Cookies 

Can I double this recipe? 

Yes – double all the ingredients in terms of quantity. You’ll also have to make some methodological adjustments; more butter and sugar will take longer to melt so you’ll want another 30-60 seconds in the microwave. More dough overall will take longer to chill so give it two hours in the fridge. Use two separate baking sheets and remember, bake time stays the same as long as the cookies are the same size (about ⅓-½ cup of dough). Always check doneness by what you see, not the time listed. 

Can I make the dough ahead of time? 

You can, while the recommended chill time is an hour (longer if you’re increasing the recipe) you can chill it overnight but it *must* be kept in an airtight container. 

Alternatively, make the dough and portion it into the dough balls. Set them on a tray and flash freeze them until solid (about 20-30 minutes). Transfer the dough balls to a freezer bag for longer storage. Before baking, bring the dough to room temperature. 

Recipe for Bakery Style Brownie Cookies 

Bakery Style Brownie Cookies

Big gooey brownie cookies with crispy edges and fudgy gooey centers. Add white chocolate chips for extra flavor and texture. These look like they’d be sold in your local artisan bakery but they’re made right at home by… you.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Rest Time: 1 hour hr

Yields: 4 large cookies

5 from 4 votes

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Ingredients

• 85g or 6 tablespoons butter
• 100g or ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
• 50g or ¼ cup fine granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup or 30g dutch process cocoa
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ baking powder
• 130g or 1 cup all purpose flour
• 125g or ¾ cup chocolate chips

Method

• Set the butter in a heatproof bowl and pour the sugar over it. Microwave the bowl for 1 minute at 100% power.
• Whisk the mixture together vigorously then add the cocoa (if it’s lumpy, sift it into the bowl) and whisk well. Set the bowl back in the microwave, this time for 30 seconds.
• Whisk very well, adding the salt and vanilla as you whisk. Add the egg and whisk well, you’ll see the mixture beginning to thicken and become shiny. Let cool briefly, just 2-3 minutes.
• Pour in the flour, baking soda and powder and stir until there are no visible flour bits. Add the white chocolate chips and stir until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (grease the pan beforehand so the parchment sticks).
• Divide the dough into four large balls of dough. For accuracy you can weigh each dough ball, if you aren’t too bothered, just eyeball it. But do try to get them to be equal so that they bake evenly.
• Bake until the cookies have spread and cracked all over, about 15 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 10 minutes then enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Notes

Note: this dough needs to rest in the fridge for an hour before baking.

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