Ultimate Fudge Brownie Cookies are ideal to have on hand for times when you need chocolate in your life, the more chocolaty the better. Rich and chewy, these cookies are sure to satisfy all chocolate cravings.
I’ve spent the past 4 days in Chicago, helping my son and his girlfriend move into a new apartment. I provided only a tiny bit of assistance with the actual moving, but my car was helpful for transporting breakables, and for runs to Target for heavy new items. Moving is not fun, even if you are delighted with the place you are moving to. It is exhausting packing everything up, only to reverse the whole process once you get where you are going, and unpacking it all to put away. Moving is definitely an activity that improves when chocolate is consumed.
I arrived in Chicago with a cooler containing a variety of international chocolate bars from my recent trip to Bosnia (with plane changes and chocolate purchases in Switzerland and Austria) and several bags of frozen cookie dough balls for fresh baked cookies as needed. Some of the dough balls were my son’s favorite chocolate chip cookie. The others were dark chocolaty balls of Ultimate Fudge Brownie Cookies. A cooler full of comfort.
Recipes for brownie-like cookies often catch my eye. The idea of a cookie with the flavor and chew of a brownie is very appealing. I began to wonder if I could use my favorite desert-safe care package brownie recipe to make cookies. The answer turned out to be a definite yes. Not only can you make cookies with this dough, but you should make cookies with this dough! The batter is very thick, almost dough consistency, and required no ingredient changes to create this thick, fudgy cookie. I recommend mailing Ultimate Fudge Brownie Cookies without frosting, but for those eating Ultimate Fudge Brownie Cookies at home, adding creamy, dark chocolate frosting is an option worth considering.
Ultimate Fudge Brownie Cookies (without frosting) are a great way to send chocolate to the desert in military care packages, even in crazy high temperatures. Usually chocolate doesn’t travel well in warm weather. Ultimate Fudge Brownie Cookies make it possible to delight chocoholics even in the summer. The desert safe ingredients in this recipe create a cookie that travels well all year. Stored in an airtight container, Ultimate Fudge Brownie Cookies stay chewy for at least 2 weeks.
You can read more about desert safe ingredients and find an index of all of the desert safe recipes on The Monday Box by clicking here.
Ultimate Fudge Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ all-purpose flour
- 1 cup baking cocoa
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ⅔ cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups mini chocolate chips
- Frosting optional:
- 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons water
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the shortening, sugar, and eggs. Beat until light in color and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Gradually add in the flour mixture, until combined.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Scoop the batter with a medium (2 tablespoon) scoop onto the prepared pan, 2” apart. The dough will be softer than most cookie dough and a bit sticky.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the surface is shiny and set. The inside cracks will still look wet.
- Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For frosting: Melt the unsweetened baking chocolate and butter in the microwave.
- Beat the melted chocolate and butter with the remaining ingredients until smooth.
- Spread the frosting onto the brownie cookies and allow to set before storing.
- Store plain brownie cookies at room temperature in an airtight container or zip lock bag for up to 2 weeks. Frosted brownie cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Packing Tips
Frosting should not be used for shipping longer than 3-4 days. Unfrosted brownie cookies are recommended for care packages. Wrap pairs of brownie cookies, bottoms together, in plastic wrap before storing in columns in an airtight container or zip lock bag.
Craving more chocolate? Indulge your sweet tooth here!
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
September 5, 2016 at 8:04 pmWell this recipe has caught my eye too! How delicious and fudgy and soft and rich – this is something I could not resist. Have a terrific week!
The Monday Box says
September 6, 2016 at 10:20 pmThanks, Tricia! Sometimes only a decadent, fudgy cookie will do! 🙂 have a great week!
Mir says
September 6, 2016 at 5:35 amYou are definitely the best mom ever. A lot of moms would bake cookies, but very few would bring a cooler full of frozen dough to be baked up in the long term. I’m so going to do that for my kids when they get older!
And moving is the worst. I think it’s up there in stress levels with having a baby or directing air traffic. Seriously, I’ve seen that!
No wonder cookies like this always get your attention. They get mine, too. So fudgy and happy. I want some too!
The Monday Box says
September 6, 2016 at 9:59 amThank you, Mir, for the very sweet compliments! I’m positive I am not the best mom ever, but I try to cover up my short comings by emphasizing my abilities! 🙂 I am lucky that my son lives driving distance (6hrs) and the dough balls stay frozen. There are just some cookies that have to be eaten right out of the oven. I think chocolate chip cookies are like that. So dough balls allow for fresh comfort food. I keep dough balls in the freezer at home too! I think that you should add “taking on a new head-of-department job while juggling family and household” to your extreme stress level list! 😉
Monica says
September 6, 2016 at 7:37 amLove how sturdy, tall, yet moist these turned out, Wendy. I am always interested in anything that sounds like fudge brownie cookies…so I’m just wishing I had a few of these right now. These would definitely make moving a little more bearable. It’s no joke but glad you were able to give your son some help! Hope they are settling in and looking forward to a delivery from you soon. ; )
The Monday Box says
September 6, 2016 at 10:04 amThanks, Monica! I was concerned that the batter wouldn’t hold it’s shape as a cookie, but that definitely wasn’t a problem. They are little rounded domes of brownie flavor and texture. My son has declared he is never moving again. That is unlikely, but understandable! I do happen to be gathering items for a Chicago bound care package. How did you guess? 😉
Ashley says
September 6, 2016 at 2:38 pmMoving really is absolutely no fun! Even when you love where you are moving!! What I would have done for some chocolate and / or cookies when we moved!! haha Now if only my kitchen stuff wasn’t still mostly packed up in boxes I could make myself some cookies!
The Monday Box says
September 6, 2016 at 6:21 pmA purchased box of chocolates or baked stuff works as comfort food too, Ashley! I am not sure why sprouts and quinoa don’t have the same soothing effect. 😉 I hope your move went well and that you are finding less boxes in your life each day!
Stephanie | Worth Whisking says
September 6, 2016 at 7:36 pmWow, Wendy! These cookies look amazing; so rich and fudgy! Moving definitely calls for large quantities of chocolate. You’re a good mom! 🙂
The Monday Box says
September 6, 2016 at 8:18 pmThanks, Stephanie! I am going to start keeping these in the freezer for chocolate emergencies. 🙂
Summer says
September 7, 2016 at 5:05 pmThese must taste really good ♥
summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com
The Monday Box says
September 7, 2016 at 6:04 pmThey do, Summer! 🙂
Reeni says
September 8, 2016 at 8:56 pmI’ve been craving chocolate in the worst way all week! These look so fudgy and decadent they would surely satisfy me. I bet your son was happy to have them and all your other treats too!
Lokness @ The Missing Lokness says
September 9, 2016 at 12:27 pmMoving definitely sucks! I feel your pain. Hope your son is all settled now. By the way, these cookies look so rich and moist. I am surprised that brownie batter can actually turn into cookies. The best part about this cookie is that there are plenty of crust! YEAh! 😀
The Monday Box says
September 9, 2016 at 1:20 pmI was surprised that the batter worked so well for cookies too, Lokness! Definitely a cookie forbrownie-crust lovers!
Cathy Kennedy says
September 9, 2016 at 3:08 pmMmm, I do love a nice chocolatey cookie, cake, or anything! I’m saving this recipe to try out. I’m visiting from Friendship Friday. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen says
September 9, 2016 at 4:10 pmOh my this is a chocolate delight, I would love to fill my cookie jar with these cookies! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend!
Miz Helen
Frugal Hausfrau says
September 11, 2016 at 1:12 amOh, now you’re talking my language! These look divine! Thanks for sharing at Throwback Thursday!
Mollie
Robin says
September 11, 2016 at 9:35 amChocolate makes everything better! Thank you for sharing at the Creative Muster Party. PINNED!
The Monday Box says
September 13, 2016 at 8:42 amI agree, Robin! Thank you for hosting and for pinning!
Winnie says
September 20, 2016 at 7:26 amThese cookies are so rich and soooooooooooo inviting!!
I really wish I could just bite into one of them via the screen
Do send me some pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
The Monday Box says
September 25, 2016 at 1:53 pmThanks, Winnie! These travel well (even to hot locations far away) so I really could send you some! 😉