Crispy Crackly Chewy Brownie Cookies
Crispy crackly chewy brownie cookies deliver the exact magic of a brownie corner piece in cookie form. Shiny tops, fudgy centers, zero bad bites.
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My girlfriend and I were talking about favorite bites the other night, and without hesitation she said the corner piece of a pan of brownies. Crispy edges. Fudgy middle. Gone first every time.
We laughed about it, then I had the thought that refused to leave my brain. What if every bite could taste like that?
That question turned into a very serious kitchen project. These cookies are what came out of it. They bake up with that signature crackly brownie top, stay chewy in the middle, and hit hard on chocolate flavor. I tested them more times than necessary, but honestly that was just an excuse to keep eating them.
If you love brownie corners, this one is going to feel personal.
Why these brownie cookies work
Powdered sugar dissolves quickly into the egg whites, creating a glossy batter that bakes into that classic crackly brownie top. Using egg whites instead of whole eggs keeps the texture chewy instead of cakey.
Starting the bake at a higher temperature sets the shiny crust fast, then lowering the heat allows the centers to stay soft and fudgy without over-baking. The result is a cookie that behaves like a brownie, just portioned perfectly every time.
"Decedent, delicious, so simple and dangerously good."
-Recipe Tester
Crispy Crackly Chewy Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup egg whites from about 3 large eggs
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and powdered sugar until smooth, glossy, and fully combined. The mixture should look thick and shiny.
- Add cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. Gently fold until just combined. The batter will look more like brownie batter than cookie dough.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter per cookie onto the baking sheets, spacing well apart since they spread.
- Bake for 2 minutes at 375°F, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 8 to 9 minutes until tops are shiny and crackly but centers are still soft.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- If you want ultra dramatic crackles, make sure the powdered sugar is fully dissolved before adding the cocoa. Smooth batter equals shiny tops.
- These cookies are best slightly underbaked. They will set as they cool, so trust the soft center.
- For extra edge energy, let them cool completely. The texture gets even chewier as they rest.
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