Fudgy Brownie Cookies with Crackly Tops
Fudgy brownie cookies with shiny crackly tops and chewy edges that taste like the corner piece of a brownie pan. One bowl, six ingredients, no mixer. Ready in about 20 minutes.
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 175kcal
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
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the egg whites and 3 cups powdered sugar together until smooth, glossy, and fully combined. The mixture should look thick and shiny with no graininess (don't rush this step).
- Add the ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold gently until just combined. The batter will look more like brownie batter than cookie dough.
- Fold in the ½ cup chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing at least 3 inches apart, these spread.
- Bake for 2 minutes at 375°F, then immediately reduce the oven to 350°F and continue baking for 8 to 9 minutes, until the tops are shiny and crackly but the centers still look soft.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 10+ minutes before transferring to a wire rack (they will continue to set as they cool).
These cookies have a high sugar content so sometimes, they feel quite sticky when trying to remove them from the parchment. If that's the case in your batch, let them cool on the parchment for longer than 10 minutes (even 30-40 minutes) so the sugar can fully set. Once fully cool, remove with a metal spatula.
Video
Notes
- Pull the cookies from the oven when the centers still look underdone. Carry-over heat does the rest as they cool on the pan. If you wait until the centers look set in the oven, they'll be overbaked by the time they cool.
- Spacing matters more than you'd expect. The batter spreads significantly; leave at least 3 inches between each scoop. Crowded cookies steam each other, and you lose the crackle on the edges.
- The powdered sugar dissolving fully before you add the cocoa is the step most people rush. Whisk the egg whites and powdered sugar until completely smooth and glossy, with no graininess. That smoothness is what gives you the shiny top.
- These cookies have a high sugar content, so they can be difficult to remove from the parchment (even after 10 minutes of cooling). If that happens, let them cool on the parchment for 30 to 40 minutes, then remove with a metal spatula.
- These keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The texture actually improves on day two as the center sets and becomes chewier.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 0.5mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
