Marji's Fudgies

Halfway between brownie and cookie, Marji’s fudgies live in that perfect dense, chewy, fudgy middle zone. Powdered milk in the batter is the unusual move that gives them extra richness without adding liquid that would loosen the dough.

The dough is intentionally stiff. So stiff that the recipe note recommends a bread mixer or strong arms. That density is exactly what produces the fudgy interior. A wet, easy-to-mix batter would just give you a thin cookie. Stick with the workout, your fudgies will thank you.

The foil trick is genuinely useful. Because these cookies are too soft to lift straight out of the oven, baking on foil sheets lets you slide one tray of cookies off (foil and all) onto the counter to set, then start the next batch immediately. Saves time and saves cookies from breaking.

A low 325°F (160°C) oven sets the centers slowly without crisping the edges. Pull them at 12 minutes when the tops look just set but the centers still look slightly underdone. They firm as they cool.

Pro Tips

• Sift the cocoa to break up lumps. Cocoa clumps stay clumped in stiff dough.
• Use real butter instead of margarine for richer flavor.
• Roll dough scoops into balls and flatten slightly with damp fingers for tidy round cookies.
• Don’t peek before 10 minutes. The dramatic puff and crackle happens late.

Variations

• Add a half cup of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts to the dough.
• Roll dough balls in powdered sugar before baking for a crinkle-cookie effect.
• Stir in a teaspoon of espresso powder to amplify the chocolate flavor.