Chewy Brownie Cookies

Where brownies meet cookies, you get these. The fudgy interior comes from a generous cup and a half of brown sugar (no white) plus a third cup of cocoa folded into the dough, mimicking a brownie batter rather than a typical cookie one.

Vegetable shortening instead of butter is the key to the signature chew, the higher melting point keeps the cookies from spreading flat and helps them set with that soft, dense interior. The brown sugar’s molasses is what gives them their slight gloss on top once cooled.

The single biggest mistake people make is overbaking. The cookies look soft and underdone at 7 to 9 minutes, that’s correct. Pull them when they look almost wet on top, they finish setting on the hot pan as they cool.

Pro Tips

• Don’t substitute butter for shortening unless you want flat, crisp cookies, the texture comes specifically from shortening’s structure.
• Pack the brown sugar firmly when measuring, loose brown sugar yields a drier dough.
• Use rounded tablespoonfuls for uniform size, mismatched cookies bake unevenly.
• Watch the clock from minute 7. These can go from chewy to dry in under a minute.
• Cool 2 minutes on the sheet before transferring, moving them too soon will tear the soft tops.

Variations

• Stir in chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch and richness.
• Swap half the chocolate chips for white chocolate or peanut butter chips for a flavor twist.
• Press a mini Reese’s cup or a square of caramel into the center of each ball before baking for a stuffed cookie surprise.