Dark Chocolate Brownie Cookies: crackly outside, fudgy center

For anyone who craves deep chocolate flavor and a soft, almost fudgy center. These dark chocolate brownie cookies with chopped dark chocolate bake up with their signature crackly tops and stay tender inside. The secret is simple: chill the dough thoroughly and weigh each portion carefully.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter — 7 oz | 200 g
• Light brown sugar — 5.3 oz | 150 g
• Granulated sugar — 3.5 oz | 100 g
• Egg — 1
• Egg yolk — 1
• All-purpose flour — 9.9 oz | 280 g
• Baking soda — 1 tsp
• Vanilla extract — 2 tsp
• Salt — 1/2 tsp
• Dark chocolate, chopped — 3.5–5.3 oz | 100–150 g

Method

1. Prep the ingredients: take out the butter ahead of time so it softens. Finely chop the dark chocolate.
2. In a bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars for 2–3 minutes, until light and creamy.
3. Add the egg, yolk and vanilla, then beat until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture in 2 additions, folding with a spatula just until combined. Do not overmix.
5. Fold in the chopped chocolate. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
6. Preheat the oven to 338°F | 170°C and let it heat for about 10 minutes. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Divide the chilled dough into equal portions of 2.5–2.6 oz | 70–75 g, roll into balls and place on the baking sheet, leaving 3–3.1 in | 7–8 cm between them. Lightly flatten the tops if you like.
8. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the tops are crackly and matte while the centers remain soft. Do not overbake: the middle should stay tender.
9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serving and storage

Serve warm or fully cooled. They pair beautifully with milk, coffee or a scoop of ice cream. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days, or freeze the shaped dough balls for up to a month and bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the baking time.

Tips and variations

• Chocolate: use 3.5–5.3 oz | 100–150 g to taste; for a gentler flavor, mix dark chocolate with milk chocolate.
• Texture: for an even fudgier center, take the cookies out as soon as the middle is just set.
• Size: consistent portions are key to even baking. Use a kitchen scale or a large ice cream scoop for 2.5–2.6 oz | 70–75 g portions.
• Sugar: brown sugar brings caramel notes and a moist crumb; do not replace it entirely with white sugar.
• Add-ins: try a pinch of espresso powder or some orange zest for a different flavor note.

Nutritional value

Serving	1 cookie (≈2.5–2.6 oz | 70–75 g)
Calories	≈310 kcal
Protein	≈3.5 g
Fat	≈16 g
Carbohydrates	≈38 g

FAQ

Can I replace vanilla extract with vanillin or vanilla sugar?

Yes. Use a pinch of vanillin or 1–2 tsp vanilla sugar, and reduce the granulated sugar by the same amount.

What if the cookies spread too much?

Chill the dough more thoroughly (at least 2 hours), make sure the butter was softened rather than melted, and keep the portions at 2.5–2.6 oz | 70–75 g. Also make sure the oven stays at a steady 338°F | 170°C.

Can I swap baking soda for baking powder?

Yes. Use 1 1/2 tsp baking powder instead of 1 tsp baking soda. The flavor and crackly tops will be a little softer, but the texture will still work well.