These Brownie Crackles are a fun twist on a classic holiday cookie! They taste like the chewy and slightly crisp outer edge pieces of brownies!
We used to have a little family-owned bakery nearby called Cookie Connection and I was obsessed with them.
As the name suggests, they only sold cookies and man, they were incredible! My favorite was the old-fashioned sugar cookie – crisp outer edges with a softer middle. I am drooling thinking about it!
One day, a friend and I grabbed dinner at a restaurant by one of their bakeries and afterward she suggested we stop in for cookies. Twist my arm, am I right? I got my usual, but she insisted I try their crackle cookie. I am not the biggest chocolate fan (I know, I know!) but I decided to get it and oh my god, my world changed from that moment forward.
Cookie Connection has since closed down *cries* but now I know I can recreate their crackle cookie at home with these Brownie Crackles! These taste just like the original bakery version but are super simple to make, more cost-affordable to make at home and taste AMAZING. Instead of spending $4 on a cookie at a bakery, you can get an entire batch out of these for a fraction of the cost.
These start with a box of fudge brownie mix – my favorite is always going to be Pillsbury’s Chocolate Fudge brownie mix!! – and the typical ingredients to prepare it, just in different quantities (after all, we are making cookies, not brownies, so the measurements differ!). I stirred in some chocolate chips to really drive home that yummy chocolate flavor! Prepare the cookies and let the dough set for about 30 minutes – this helps firm up the dough a little bit so they are easier to roll. But be aware, this is an extremely sticky and soft dough, so for ease, I recommend just dropping the cookie dough into a bowl of confectioners’ sugar and rolling to coat it before placing on a wire rack rather than using your hands to physically roll the dough balls.
Bake them up and let them cool before giving them a final dusting of confectioners’ sugar, then dig in!! They are super delicious when warm but equally as fabulous when cooled. They have crisp outer edges and a chewy interior, very much like the outer piece of a brownie.
You’re going to love these!
Brownie Crackles
Ingredients
- One box chocolate fudge brownie mix (13x9" pan size)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- In a large bowl, combine the fudge brownie mix (do not prepare the brownies!), flour, egg, oil, and water together with a rubber spatula or spoon until well blended. Fold in the chocolate chips. Let the cookie dough stand for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Place the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Using a Tablespoon-size cookie dough scoop, scoop cookie dough balls and drop directly into the confectioners' sugar. I recommend dropping the dough directly into the sugar because the dough is super sticky and soft. Immediately roll the dough ball in the confectioners' sugar to coat, then place 1-2" apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even baking. Cool on the baking sheets for about 15 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Just before serving, dust with any additional confectioners' sugar.
Notes
Soft, chewy, crisp and fudgy, these Brownie Crackles will soon become a family fave!
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
Ellie says
Hi Hayley,
What size brownie mix do we use?
Thank you,
EM
thedomesticrebel says
Hi Ellie, I believe the box is around 18 oz – big enough to bake brownies in a 13×9 pan according to package directions (though of course we are not doing that).
Ellie says
Thank you.
I will review after I make them. They look delicious.
Melissa says
These were so good – I made them for my boyfriend and he loved them! They have a crackle/crunch to the outside, but are smooth/gooey on the inside with the melty chips! He loved them and they disappeared so fast! Thanks for another easy and delicious recipe!
Amanda says
Hello just wanted to see how many cookies this recipe makes ?
thedomesticrebel says
Hi Amanda, oops – forgot to include that and will update soon. It makes about 2 dozen.
Amanda says
Thank you so much, they came out delicious! Love your recipes!!
Angela Milano Morrissey says
I’ve tried several versions of a crackle cookie over the years and this is my favorite. I wouldn’t make them too big, they are very rich.
Great recipe, Haley. Thank you.
Koko says
Hi,
I made these cookies and they were a hit! I wanted to make it again, but I could only find pilsberry milk chocolate brownie mix. Aside from the taste, Do you think it will effect the overall texture and fudginess of the original recipe? What about chilling the dough til firm for easier handling?
thedomesticrebel says
Hi Koko, the milk chocolate brownie mix should work just fine! You could definitely try chilling the dough for easier handling. I’d say maybe 30 minutes.