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Get ready for some chocolate joy—these brownie cookies have creamy chocolate ganache hiding inside. The outsides are crispy, the centers are soft and chewy, and the ganache suprise just melts in every bite. Sprinkles on top make these perfect for parties, or when you just want some next-level chocolate goodness.
First time my crew tried these was at a birthday bash—and now they beg for them for every holiday. Honestly, these are my go-to cookies for a chill, rainy afternoon in the kitchen.
Ingredients
- High-quality milk and semisweet chocolate bars: bring bold chocolate depth and a silky ganache. Skip chips, bars melt best
- Dutch cocoa powder: bumps up the rich color and deepens the cocoa flavor. Pick one that's super dark
- Heavy cream: keeps the filling pillow-soft and rich
- All-purpose flour: gives cookies their soft crumb and some shape. Spoon it in, level it off
- Kosher salt: adds a subtle pop that makes all the chocolate flavors sing—not salty, just bright
- Baking soda: lets the cookies puff up and keeps them chewy
- Unsalted butter (room temp): means crisp outsides and soft middles. European butter's even richer
- Brown sugar, packed: brings the chew and a deeper caramel taste. Go for fresh and soft
- Granulated sugar: for those golden edges
- Eggs (large): bring things together and add richness. Let them warm up first
- Vanilla extract: smooths everything out. Pure’s best if you can
- Rainbow sprinkles: total fun factor! Use classic jimmies or those mini chips for crunch and color
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Shape and Cool:
- Once out of the oven, grab a cookie cutter bigger than your cookies and gently swirl to make the edges neat while still warm. Let them chill on the tray for about ten minutes, then slide over to a rack. They'll firm up just right and won't fall apart
- Bake:
- Pop into a 350°F oven for 9 to 11 minutes. Look for puffed tops that aren’t shiny anymore. Want gooey centers? Don’t leave them in too long
- Decorate with Sprinkles:
- Before baking, dip the tops of each cookie dough puck into a bowl of sprinkles for instant color and crunch. Spread them out on your baking sheets—they’ll need room
- Shape and Stuff Cookies:
- Turn the oven on to preheat and line your trays with parchment. Roll dough into balls, flatten each into thick discs. Sandwich a frozen ganache blob between two discs, pinch closed, and shape into a chubby puck
- Chill Dough:
- Lay plastic wrap right against the dough’s surface and pop it in the fridge for 20–30 minutes. You want it firm but still easy to handle
- Add Dry Ingredients:
- With your mixer on low, add in the flour/cocoa mix bit by bit—stop as soon as streaks vanish. If you mix too long, cookies will get tough
- Blend in Chocolate:
- Gently mix in the cooled melted chocolate until the dough is a rich, dark brown and looks even
- Mix in Eggs and Vanilla:
- Turn speed down low, drop in one egg at a time, waiting until it blends before adding more. Wipe the bowl sides, then pour in the vanilla
- Cream Butter and Sugars:
- With a mixer, beat together room temp butter, brown sugar, and white sugar at medium-high for roughly three minutes. It'll fluff up and get pale. This makes thick, chewy cookies
- Melt Chocolate:
- Melt chocolate in a microwave with short bursts or over simmering water. Stir a lot so it melts without burning. Let it cool a bit before adding to other stuff
- Prepare Dry Ingredients:
- Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Give it a good whisk to spread out everything so every cookie comes out even
- Portion and Freeze Ganache Centers:
- Pipe or spoon out about 24 flat ganache blobs on parchment. You want them kind of wide so they fit inside the dough later. Freeze these until totally solid so stuffing’s easy
- Make Ganache:
- Chop up your chocolate and pour into a bowl. Warm up the cream till it’s just bubbling at the edges, not boiling. Pour it over the chocolate, let it sit half a minute, then whisk gently from the middle outward till it turns shiny and smooth. Let the ganache hang out, stirring now and then, until it thickens enough to scoop—usually 20 to 30 minutes
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Honestly, the creamy chocolate center is everything. My sister used to sneak those cold ganache bits straight from the tray whenever we baked these. We still laugh about it every time we make a batch together.
Storage Tips
Once your cookies are cool, slide them into an airtight box. They'll keep fresh for up to a week. If you want to save some for later, freeze the raw filled dough balls or even the baked cookies. Flash freeze dough balls on a tray, then bag them for later. You can bake straight from the freezer—just tack on a minute or two to the oven time.
Ingredient Swaps
No Dutch cocoa? Regular will work, just expect a lighter color and milder taste. For a sweeter bite, use more milk chocolate. Want to go dairy-free? Swap in a rich plant butter and a creamy non-dairy milk—your filling will be a touch softer but still awesome.
How to Serve
Stack these up for the star treat at any party or as a fun twist on birthday dessert. Wrap them up one at a time for a cute handout. Microwave for a quick molten center, or smash some vanilla ice cream between two and dig into your own brownie-cookie ice cream sandwich.
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Fun Facts & Background
Ganache got its start as a classic French pastry filling—think truffles and fancy cakes. Hiding it inside a brownie-styled cookie gives you the best of traditional French sweets and beloved American chocolate bakes, all rolled up into one happy bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How do you achieve a gooey ganache center?
Pop the ganache in the freezer after you shape it. This helps keep it nice and creamy inside your cookies, even after baking.
- → What type of chocolate works best for the ganache?
Mix some semisweet with milk chocolate. This way, you get a yummy, not-too-sweet filling that melts super smooth.
- → Can the dough be made ahead?
Sure thing. Make the dough, cover it, and chill in your fridge a day ahead. Or freeze stuffed dough balls, and bake whenever you want.
- → Why press the cookies with a cutter after baking?
Give the still-warm cookies a quick swirl inside a round cutter to tidy up the edges. That way, they look like they're straight from a fancy bakery.
- → How do you keep cookies soft after baking?
Once they're cool, put the cookies in a tight-sealed container on the counter. They'll stay chewy for days that way.