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Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies

September 26, 2025 · Natalie 101 Comments

Indulge in rich, fudgy chocolate brownie cookies that are perfectly chewy and decadent. Made with vegan and gluten-free ingredients and full of gooey chocolate chips and crunchy walnuts, these healthier cookies satisfy any chocolate craving without compromising on taste or texture!

Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies (vegan + gluten-free)

Originally published on September 28 2017. Updated on September 26 2025.

How To Make Healthier Chocolate Brownie Cookies
- Vegan Gluten-Free Brownie Cookie Ingredients
- Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies Step-By-Step
Serving Suggestions and Storage Instructions
Recipe FAQs
More Dairy-Free Brownie Recipes You’ll Love

The crackly-topped, shiny outside and moist, intensely chocolatey inside of a brownie but in easy drop cookie form. So if you are a corner brownie person because the crusty edges are your favorite part (me!), this recipe is all edges. A.k.a. brownie dreams come true. And all that indulgent fudgy goodness made in just one bowl with a few healthier swaps along the way and no gluten or eggs required.

How To Make Healthier Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Just like your favorite fudgy brownies, this recipe starts with melted dark chocolate. But from there things take a vegan, gluten-free, healthier twist without any eggs in the batter, coconut sugar instead of brown sugar, avocado oil instead of butter, and dairy-free chocolate chips folded in. I’m not saying these are nutritious, it’s still an indulgent cookie recipe, but they are dietary friendly for almost all and made with a little bit less refined ingredients too. So let’s break it down…

Bittersweet chocolate. I like a 60ish% chocolate for this recipe, but you can go dark too. You could even used unsweetened chocolate if you really want an intensely dark decadent cookie. I do not recommend semi-sweet or anything less intense, the cookies won’t spread as well.
Avocado oil. Or any neutral flavored oil, if you opt for coconut oil make sure it’s melted first.
Cane sugar. Instead of the usual white sugar for a less refined option.
Coconut sugar. Instead of brown sugar for a less refined option again.
Water or coffee. Water will work, but coffee will really amp up the decadent chocolate flavor. You can use freshly brewed or cold brew (at room temperature). Non-dairy milk would be fine here too.
Gluten-free flour. I like just using a gluten-free blend, you could try oat flour but they won’t be as moist. If you aren’t gluten-free, regular all-purpose flour is fine too as a 1-for-1 substitution.
Cocoa powder. Because just one form of chocolate isn’t enough, we want these to be CHOCOLATEY.
Vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. All three brownie baking essentials.
Chocolate chips and walnuts. Folded in for extra gooey-ness and a little crunch (nuts optional, of course!)

Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies Step-By-Step

Step 1: Prepare the pans and preheat the oven. This batter comes together pretty quick, so I like to have the baking sheets ready to go with parchment paper and the oven nice and hot.

Step 2: Melt the chocolate. You can do this in a double boiler if you want, but I just microwave mine for about 60 seconds on high. Stop and stir here just to make sure you don’t burn it, and then if you need another 30 seconds pop it back in the microwave. Set it aside to cool slightly while you mix the wet ingredients together.

Step 3: Prepare the batter. This is a simple one bowl recipe, starting with the wet ingredients, then incorporating the melted chocolate, then finally adding in the dry ingredients. The wet ingredients need a little extra mixing time, but everything else can mix in pretty quick unit just combined. I like to use a hand mixer for this, but you could use a stand mixer or a whisk by hand.

Step 4: Bake the cookies. This is a drop cookie batter, no chilling or rolling required. I like to use a cookie scoop and simply drop the batter in dollops on the baking pans. It is best to bake them all at once on two pans instead of in two batches, since there is melted chocolate in the batter it will become quite thick if you leave it out for too long and the chocolate cools.

Step 5: Cool, flaky salt, eat. These cookies are ideally eaten warm from the pan, but they do need at least a little bit of cooling time so the outside has a chance to set into that crusty crackly brownie edge experience we all love. So give them at least 10-15 minutes, I promise the insides will still be warm and gooey!

Serving Suggestions and Storage Instructions

Like I said, you can’t beat one of these chewy chocolate brownie cookies straight off the pan still warm and gooey from the oven. But after that time window passes, they can still be deliciously enjoyed so many ways. With a simple sprinkle of flaky salt is always a delicious idea with a recipe this chocolatey, but in a bowl with a couple scoops of ice cream on top would be very delicious too. Even crumbled up and blended into a Ninja Creami protein ice cream would be amazingly good.

I do recommend storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them moist and fresh as long as possible. They will get fudgier after chilling, but lose a bit of that outside crust. You can re-warm them, but personally I prefer to embrace the fudgy refrigerator effect and eat them chilled after the first day.

Recipe FAQs

My cookies didn’t spread, what did I do wrong?

Did you let the batter sit before baking? If the batter sits the melted chocolate starts to cool and will thicken the batter, reducing the amount of spread. You want to bake these immediately after mixing, the batter should be quite moist and spread a little bit even when you plop it on the pan.

My cookies are too crumbly, what did I do wrong?

Most likely you just didn’t let them cool enough. They will be fragile when hot, but firm/crisp up as they cool.

Can I substitute the gluten-free flour for X flour?

The only other flour I can confidently recommend is regular all purpose flour, I have not tested these with oat or almond or any other kind so you will have to experiment for yourself.

How long will these cookies last?

At room temperature in an airtight container, 3-4 days. In the refrigerator in an airtight container, 1-2 weeks. In the freezer in an airtight container, a few months.

So if you love brownies (especially the corner piece!) or if you love cookies or if you just love really easy really chocolatey treats, I think this recipe will hit the dessert spot for you! They come together quick, they bake in 10 minutes, and they will be gone even faster if you live with as many chocolate lovers as I do. Give this egg-free brownie cookie recipe a try and let me know what you think—tag me on Instagram if you make them or leave a comment below!

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Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies

★★★★★ 5 from 15 reviews

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 cookies 1x
Category: cookies
Method: baking
Cuisine: american
Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

4oz bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup (50ml) avocado oil
1/3 cup (65g) cane sugar
1/3 cup (50g) coconut sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) water or coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (124g) gluten-free flour
1/4 cup (20g) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup (90g) chocolate chips
1/4 cup (30g) chopped walnuts (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven for 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
In a small bowl, melt the bittersweet chocolate (about 60 seconds in the microwave). Stir until smooth, then set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugars, oil, water/coffee, and vanilla for 1-2 minutes until frothy.
Add in the melted chocolate, and mix again until combined.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Mix until well combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
Use a cookie scoop to scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter per cookie onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave enough room for them to spread, I recommend two pans with six per pan.
Bake for 9 to 10 minutes at 350°F.
Cool for 10 minutes on the pan, then use a spatula to transfer to a cooling rack.
They are most delicious when warm, but you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for longer storage.

Keywords: baking, dessert, snack, easy, healthy, vegan, dairy free, gluten free

Dairy-Free Maple Fudge

September 22, 2025 · Natalie Leave a Comment

Learn how to make rich, melt-in-your-mouth, dairy-free maple fudge with real maple syrup in just 30 minutes. This easy vegan recipe makes the perfect indulgent fall sweet treat or ideal bite-sized dessert for holiday sharing!

How To Make Perfect Maple Fudge
- Dairy-Free Maple Fudge Ingredients
- Step-By-Step Instructions
How To Store And Gift The Fudge
Ideas For Variations And Mix-Ins
Nutritional Information
More Dairy-Free Fudge Recipes You’ll Love

In between all the apple cinnamon and pumpkin spice there are a few other delicious flavors of fall I like to highlight, and this maple fudge recipe does that SO deliciously. The complex sweetness of maple syrup meets the velvety richness of homemade fudge with crunchy pecans on top for a fall crunch. This non-chocolate fudge is made with just 6 easy ingredients and not a bit of butter or cream. And while I think maple as a flavor deserves more fall love, I will definitely be whipping out this recipe again come Christmas time as the perfect little shareable sweet treat!

How To Make Perfect Maple Fudge

In a traditional chocolate fudge recipe, chocolate chips are usually a pretty key ingredient on the list. So how do we make a chocolate-less fudge? It’s more similar to candy-making with a mix of sugar, cream, and fat of some sort boiled to a soft-ball temperature and then whipped and set. Since this recipe is dairy-free, there are a few ingredient swaps from tradition. And of course we are adding maple syrup and vanilla for sweet fall flavor too.

Dairy-Free Maple Fudge Ingredients

Cane sugar. A slightly less refined option than white sugar, but unfortunately this recipe will not work with just maple syrup you need some sort of granulated sweetener as well. I haven’t tested it with coconut sugar, but it contains a lot more moisture and may cause the fudge to not set right.
Coconut cream. Just the solid part from a can of full-fat coconut milk that has been chilled, or if you buy a can of coconut cream you can shake it up and not have to chill/scoop. This is the key to making a dairy-free fudge without butter or cream or sweetened condensed milk.
Coconut oil. This is also an important swap for butter, and it helps the fudge set correctly too when chilled.
Maple syrup. The star of the fudge show, you definitely want to use the real stuff.
Salt and vanilla extract. Both are important for flavor.
Pecans. Chopped up and sprinkled on top, they create the most delicious textural contrast to the creamy fudge underneath. Totally optional, and you could swap in another kind of nut as well.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Boil the fudge ingredients. That means everything except the vanilla and pecans. During this initial cooking stage, you want to be whisking almost the whole time to help everything melt and dissolve and combine. I recommend medium-high heat until it starts bubbling.

Step 2: Simmer to a soft-ball stage. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes. You can calm down a little bit with the whisking, every couple of minutes will be fine. But keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t bubble up and over flow. I recommend medium or even low heat for this cooking stage, just make sure it maintains a good bubble. It will get thicker and darker, but you really need to use a candy thermometer here to make sure it reaches the soft-ball stage (235°F).

Step 3: Add the vanilla and whip. Remove from the heat, whisk in the vanilla, and then use a hand or stand mixer to incorporate air into the fudge and allow it to cool and thicken. It will become lighter in color and almost a frosting consistency. If you start to see crystallization happening (chunks), you’ve gone too far. 3-5 minutes on a pretty high speed was perfect for me.

Step 4: Chill until set. Transfer the whipped mixture to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper, top with the pecans, and chill for at least 4-6 hours until the fudge is set. Then you can remove it from the pan and slice into bite-size squares.

How To Store And Gift The Fudge

This maple fudge will last best in the fridge, but it will be find at room temperature for a couple of hours after it’s set so you can wrap it up and share or gift it without worrying. In the fridge in an airtight container, it will be fine for a week or two. But if your house is anything like mine, it definitely won’t last that long!

Ideas For Variations And Mix-Ins

This recipe is simple sweet perfection as is. But if you want to mix it up, you could add in some warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg. You could use honey in place of the maple syrup for a different flavor profile. Or you could swap up the toppings with other kinds of nuts or seeds (walnuts or cashews would be amazing!) or even chocolate (or white chocolate!) chips.

Nutritional Information

Don’t get it twisted, this is still a sugar-forward candy recipe. Hence why it’s a holiday perfect little treat. But with that said, we are using unrefined sweeteners and each square comes out to just about 100 calories per serving. Plus better ingredients and homemade with love is always better if you ask me.

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