Brownie Mix Cookies
Brownie Mix Cookies is an easy recipe to make and all you need is a 20 oz box of brownie mix, vegetable oil, eggs, extra flour (super important!) and some chocolate chips! All this comes together to give you ultra fudgy brownie cookies that have a crinkly top, gooey center, and set bottoms for the ultimate brownie cookie!
Brownie Mix Cookies will remind you of your favorite brownies! You can make bakery style (larger) brownie mix cookies with my Brownie Batter Cookies. Or try my Walnut Brownie Cookies or Cosmic Brownie Cookies that take a cookie spin on your favorite brownie recipes.
Why This Recipe Works
- Gooey brownie centers. I love that the bottom of the cookies are baked but the centers stay fudgy just like a brownie!!!
- Ghirardelli brownie mix cookies. I’m a huge sucker for brownies — and brownie mix. You can ask anyone in my family. I love licking the brownie batter leftover on the spoon and bowl, and I love the fudgy goodness of brownies. So, when I found out it was easy to make the best brownie mix cookies from Ghirardelli brownie mix (or any brownie mix for that matter), I was SOLD!
- Brownie cookies from mix. The best part of these brownie box cookies is all you need is a brownie mix and a few extra simple ingredients!
Ingredient Notes
- Dry Brownie Mix: I love the Ghirardelli brownie mix and usually buy the large box at Costco. You only need the dry mix for this brownie mix cookie recipe. Disregard any of the additional ingredients called for on the back of the boxed brownie mix. Please only use the extra ingredients called for in this brownie mix cookies recipe! This is an easy brownie mix cookies recipe thanks to using a boxed mix.
- Flour: We add additional flour to the mixture so we get a cookie dough consistency instead of a brownie batter consistency. This will help provide the cookie form.
- Vegetable Oil: The vegetable oil gives a moist texture in baking. Usually cookies use butter as the fat, but this recipe uses vegetable oil because we are trying to mimic the brownie texture (and brownies are made with vegetable oil).
- Eggs: Our baking binding agent.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: Some brownie mixes have chocolate chips in them already. If that’s the case, you can skip this ingredient. Or add more! Can also use regular sized chocolate chips if you’d like.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients. Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. To a large bowl, add the 20 oz dry brownie box mix (see recipe tips for details on if your brownie mix is less than 20 oz), 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Using a hand mixer, beat until combined.
- Scoop into balls. Using a 2 T cookie scoop, scoop the dough and drop onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie dough ball.
- Bake the Ghirardelli brownie cookies. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges are set but the centers still look doughy. Remove them from the oven and let sit on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy as is or with a scoop of ice cream!
Recipe Tips
**If you use a brownie mix that is not 20 oz, add enough flour to the brownie mix until it equals 20 ounces. IMPORTANT: you will STILL need to add the additional 1/4 cup of flour called for in this recipe. That is in additional to the 20 oz dry brownie mix.
NOTE: you do NOT use the ingredients listed on the box. Please only use the additional ingredients listed in this recipe!
Using the cookie scoop will help in portioning the dough balls. Although this is a cookie dough, it is still brownie-like, meaning the dough is softer than most cookie doughs so you won’t really have the texture to roll into balls of dough with your hands (because we are going for fudgy brownie-like cookies AKA gooey in the center).
I used a size 40 cookie scoop and spaced the dough balls 2 inches apart from each other.
Don’t over bake the cookies! Over baking will make the cookies dry and you won’t have that chewy fudge center. (I sent this recipe to my sister and she baked them for a few minutes longer and she said the cookies were dry and not at all fudgy like brownies. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!)
To get fudgy cookies, you want the edges to look set but the centers will look doughy. That is the key to the perfect cookie! The centers will look doughy and not fully done. As long as the edges are set, they are done. If you pull the cookies out and the centers look baked, you won’t get the fudgy center.
Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 3 minutes. This will help them set so the bottoms of the cookies are set and you can easily transfer the brownie cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Let the cookies cool completely. This will help the bottoms of the cookies to set completely so you can pick them up.
If you don’t have a hand mixer you can use a wooden spoon and just mix until everything is evenly combined. Or feel free to use a stand mixer if you have one.
Variations
- Create fun variations of brownie mix cookies by adding peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, mint chips, butterscotch chips or M&Ms to the batter for different flavors.
- Add chopped nuts (of any variety) for an additional crunch or variation.
- Roll the dough balls in powdered sugar for a crinkle cookie effect.
- Eat plain or pair with vanilla ice cream or make into ice cream sandwiches.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag for 3-5 days. I love eating them fresh though! Right off the cookie sheet so they are still a bit warm and gooey … yum!
To freeze, bake as directed and then freeze in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Will keep for 1-2 months in the freezer. Thaw before eating. I don’t know how the fudgy centers will do in the freezer/thawing process as I haven’t frozen these cookies yet. We usually eat them within 1 day (totally serious!!)
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Follow the recipe as directed, let the cookies cool, and then freeze in a ziplock bag for 1-2 months. I haven’t personally frozen these cookies before since usually my family eats them all the day I make them! So, I’m not sure if the gooey, fudgy nature of the cookies will be unaffected after being frozen and thawed. If you do freeze them, let me know how they turn out!
If you want to add peanut butter, I suggest stirring in peanut butter chips. This will give you bursts of peanut butter in every bite.
No! In fact, if you add those ingredients, the brownie mix cookies won’t turn out. You only need the DRY brownie mix.
There could be a few reasons why the cookies didn’t turn out. The first things to look for is to make sure your oven temperature is accurate. Most ovens run a few degrees cooler or hotter than what it says. I use an oven thermometer to make sure my temperature is correct. Then, make sure you are baking cookies in the center rack of the oven. Adjust the racks as needed. Finally, be sure to fluff your flour before measuring. And with this recipe in particular, make sure your brownie mix is 20 oz. If it isn’t, then add additional flour until the brownie mix comes in at 20 oz (use a kitchen scale). THEN you still add the 1/4 cup flour to the bowl. This additional flour will help provide a cookie dough consistency.
You may have baked the cookies for an extra minute too long. Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are st but the centers still look gooey. Once they set (rest on the pan for 3 minutes) and then cool completely on a wire rack, they will be perfect!
More Brownie Recipes
Brownie Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 20 oz box Ghirardelli brownie mix - Can also use a different brand of mix. If your mix is less than 20 oz, add flour until it is 20 oz.
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips - mini chocolate chips or regular semi chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl mix all of the ingredients together until combined. I used a hand mixer, but if you don't have a hand mixer you can use a wooden spoon and just mix until everything is evenly combined.
- Using a 2 T sized cookie scoop, scoop dough onto baking sheet, spacing each dough ball 2 inches apart from each other.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set but centers still look doughy. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
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70 Comments on “Brownie Mix Cookies”
I made these cookies according to the measurements in the recipe. I mixed just enough to incorporate the ingredients together. It was a slightly moist scoop, not dry at all. They spread just enough and came out beautifully! Delicious!♥️
Thanks for sharing what you did Robin!
These turned out AMAZING! They remind me of those famous “chocolate chewy cookies”! They put brownies to shame! I followed the exact recipe and it was insanely awesome. I couldn’t keep the kids fingers off of them! Thank you for sharing!
So happy to hear these turned out for you, and that you and your kids loved them! Thanks for your review!
I made these and they are perfect! They have that browning crackle on the top and crispy edge! Tysm!!
I’m so glad they turned out perfect for you Robin. Thanks for your great review!
This recipe needs more oil. The mix isn’t wet enough to mix without it.
Hi Natalie, as you can see from previous comments, this recipe has worked out for many readers, but there have been several with an experience similar to yours. This can be a result of overmixing dough, or even just different elevations. If you have any cookie dough, including this one, that is too dry and crumbly, add moisture to it. For this recipe, I would add more oil, a teaspoon at a time, until you have the right consistency. Thanks for your comment!
Definitely not enough oil. Idk how folks are claiming it was. 🤷♀️
Rachel, sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you!
These tasted great! I do have a question though. I baked them as directed with the edges set but middle still a little doughy.. even after completely cooling they are still doughy in the middle? Is this the desired outcome or should I have still baked them a little longer?
Chloe, it sounds like you achieved a “fudgy” center, which is the goal! If you bake them longer, the cookies will turn out more crispy and dry, not at all like brownies.
Used a 16oz brownie mix and added the extra flour as instructed and they turned out great! I did end up using a little bit more oil, but besides that, they were super good.
I’m so glad these turned out for you!
Just made this recipe. Soooo good. Will make again soon. Shared them with work colleagues. They were gone in minutes. Thank you for sharing. Fast and easy to bake.
It’s great to hear they were a hit with your coworkers! Thanks for your review.
I’ve made these once and they were delicious! I’m going to make them again for Christmas, hopefully they’ll be just as good! I’m not an experienced baker at all, but felt these were relatively easy!
Happy to hear that, Paula! Thanks for the great review.
Not to be negative, but these didn’t work well for me. I used a different brand that was a 16oz box and added the flour as directed to get to 20oz. Plus all the other ingredients exactly as directed. The batter wasn’t batter at all, and was dry and crumbly, requiring me to add more moisture. I’m sure this worked with the brand mentioned in the recipe, but don’t think it translates well to every brand.
Hi Beka! Thanks for sharing your experience. It does seem like it works well with the brownie box mix brand I used. Thanks for clearing that up!
We’ve made these three times in the last week! They’re so easy and so tasty. I added a bit of peppermint extract and used peppermint baking chips from Trader Joe’s and that made them so perfect for the Christmas season!
Love those Christmas mix-ins. Thanks for sharing, Jessica!
Can you freeze these?
Yes.
I am an experienced baker and followed the recipe to the T. The dough was dry and didn’t come together. Either some ingredient is missing in the recipe, or the amount of ingredients are not correct. I had to add additional oil and some liquid . After that I was able to make the cookies put it in the oven and they came out fine.
Glad it worked out for ya in the end.
The same happened to me. I was using a BC dark chocolate brownie mix that was about 16oz, and added the flour exactly as directed. Ended up adding extra oil to account for how dry it was.
I just made these following the recipe. No changes or additions. Love them! I will definitely make them again.
So happy they were winners, Julie! Thanks for the great review!