Description
Salted Brownie Cookies combine rich chocolate flavor, glossy crackled tops, and soft fudgy centers in an easy 25-minute dessert. Optional espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavor, while flaky sea salt adds a sweet and salty finish. This recipe makes about 24 cookies and works beautifully for Thanksgiving dessert tables.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for topping
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- Sea salt flakes, optional, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack just above the center position. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Beat eggs, egg yolk, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla on medium-high speed until combined and frothy.
- Melt butter and chocolate chips together in a small saucepan over medium heat until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in cocoa powder and optional espresso powder.
- Mix the warm chocolate mixture directly into the egg mixture until just incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low only until the flour disappears, or gently fold them in with a spatula. The batter should be fairly thin but scoopable.
- Portion with a 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop or 2 spoons, spacing cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Top with sea salt flakes if desired. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the surfaces are shiny and crackled while the centers remain fudgy.
- Immediately add 3 to 4 extra chocolate chips per cookie if desired. While still soft, shape the cookies with a slightly larger round cutter if desired.
- Cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer with a spatula to a cooling rack.
Notes
Measure and prepare all ingredients, pans, and equipment before mixing because the batter should be portioned and baked promptly.
The melted chocolate mixture does not need to cool before you add it to the wet ingredients.
Avoid overmixing after adding the flour. Folding with a spatula can make this easier.
Work quickly once you prepare the batter for the intended cookie texture and appearance.
A 1 1/2-tablespoon scoop produces about 24 evenly sized cookies.
The finished cookies should have glossy, crackled tops and soft, fudgy centers.
For rounder, slightly thicker cookies, place a round cutter slightly larger than each hot cookie around it and gently swirl for several seconds.
Bake the batter immediately rather than storing or freezing it.
Store baked cookies in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
You can freeze baked cookies for later.
Espresso powder and sea salt flakes are optional.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips work well for this recipe.
Use regular unsweetened cocoa powder. This recipe was not tested with dark, black, or Dutch-process cocoa.