Coated in turbinado sugar and perfectly rich and fudgy, these brownie sugar cookies are ready in minutes and a festive addition to any cookie tray.
It’s not a brownie, but it’s not quite as simple as a sugar cookie either! Meet the brownie cookies aka your holiday cookie tray’s newest and greatest addition.
These cookies just tick all the boxes. We’ve got a crispy, crackly brownie exterior rolled in sugar, that signature fudgy brownie texture, and just the right amount of rich chocolate flavor.
I mean, a plate of these + a glass of eggnog? Santa may just go into a coma this year (in the best way).
This recipe couldn’t be easier to whip up and no lie, you can have them on the cooling rack and ready for digging into in less than 30 minutes! This is both a blessing and a huge problem if you know what I mean…
These Cookies feature…
- A rich and fudgy texture
- A crackly sugar coating
- Minutes to make and no dough chilling required
Making the Cookies
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Turbinado sugar
Tips for Perfect Cookies
- Spoon and level flour – we use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring your flour. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife.
- Use stand mixer or mix dough by hand – this recipe is both mixer-friendly and old-fashioned-bowl-and-spoon friendly.
- Bring butter and egg to room temp – make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before creaming with the sugar. Likewise, allow the egg to come to room temperature or submerge in hot water for about 2 minutes to quickly warm it so it incorporates easier into the butter.
- Scoop dough into uniform balls – scoop dough into uniform 1-inch balls for cookies that will bake evenly.
- Roll dough balls in turbinado sugar – this coats the cookies perfectly with a crunchy texture and gives them a festive little touch.
- Flatten dough balls before baking – this will help them bake a bit more evenly throughout.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these cookies.
- Add more chocolate – add semisweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate, white chocolate, or a mix of several.
- Add nuts – fold 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts into the dough.
- Top cookies with frosting or glaze – try a powdered sugar glaze, chocolate frosting, vanilla buttercream, or a drizzle of salted caramel.
Storing and Freezing Cookies
Allow cookies to cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days.
To freeze cookies, allow to cool completely, then wrap well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw cookies completely at room temperature and store up to 4 days.
I swear if you were to eat one of these cookies with your eyes closed you might seriously question what you’re eating! It’s like a brownie and a sugar cookie all rolled into one and it’s nothing short of magical.
Cheers to the holiday season and more stacks of cookies like this, please.
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More holiday-worthy cookies to bake next!
Brownie Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Turbinado sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a large stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment OR in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. Mix on medium speed or by hand until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beating well until smooth.
- In a medium separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture, beating on medium speed until dough is just combined.
- Scoop dough into 1-inch balls and roll in turbinado sugar. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and flatten slightly.
- Bake cookies at 350F 10-12 minutes until cookies are crackly (middles will be slightly soft). Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet 20 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 12/2/25.
Joanne says
Obviously brownies + cookies = THE BEST HOLIDAY COMBO EVER. How you exercised enough self control to not eat all of these will forever be a mystery to me.
Sarah says
Haha! I’m not gonna lie—During my photo-shoot, I was seriously considering just scrapping the whole idea of sending these cookies off and just eating them all right then and there! LOL.
Renee @ Two in the Kitchen says
These cookies look amazing Sarah. Brownie cookies: Best two words in the whole world!! 🙂
Sarah says
Agreed! My new favorite two words. 😀 Thanks Renee!
Sarah @ Bake Me A Scone says
These look delicious. Cookies with the consistency and texture of a brownie sound like such a perfect combination!
Sarah says
Thank you Sarah! You definitely need to give these cookies a go! 😉
Sarah @ The Gold Lining Girl says
Please go on about the texture!! I’m dying to hear more! They’re like brownies in a cookie? Soft and chewy? Super fudgy? No you simply cannot go wrong putting together sugar cookies and brownies!!! These sound heavenly! They’re amazing!
Sarah says
Haha! I’m totally a texture-freak, can you tell? 😀 Thanks so much Sarah! xoxo
Jen @ Baked by an Introvert says
These cookies look wonderful, Sarah! A cookie with a brownie texture is music to my ears.
Sarah says
Thanks Jen!! 🙂
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
What a great cookie to share for the Great Food Blogger’s Cookie Swap! I would love to get a dozen of these!
Sarah says
Thanks Kristi! I’m over here totally wishing that I had been your cookie swap recipient! Your wedding cookies sound fabulous!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Oh my gosh, these cookies look amazing, Sarah! What a great idea to make a brownie sugar cookie. And I’m loving the two types of chocolate in these cuties! Love these!
Sarah says
Thanks Gayle! Double the chocolate, double the deliciousness right?! 😉
Tori@Gringalicious.com says
MMMmmm! Yes, Please!
Sarah says
Thanks!!
Manali @ CookWithManali says
Love how soft these cookies look Sarah! Bet they taste amazing!
Sarah says
Thank you Manali! xoxo
marcie says
I would’ve loved receiving these cookies in the mail, and I would not have shared! I’m seriously dying over here. Pinned!
Sarah says
Totally wish we had been cookie swap buddies, Marcie! I was seriously swooning over your snowball cookies yesterday! 🙂 Thanks for the pin, girly!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Oh my goodness, these brown sugar cookies look absolutely amazing, Sarah!! Brownies in cookie form that are soft and chewy sound like the best cookies ever! I love how pretty the sugar coating looks too! I would not be able to resist a dozen of these for sure! Your recipients are so lucky!!
Sarah says
They’re complete diet-killers, but SO worth it. Haha! It’s a good thing actually that I had to send them away because otherwise I probably would have eaten them all! Whooooops. 😀 Thanks Kelly! xoxo
Rachael | Spache the Spatula says
Brownie and Cookie in the same food title?!? Sold.
These look like little pillows of sugary heaven 😀
Sarah says
Haha your description = Best thing ever. 😀
Julie | This Gal Cooks says
um whoa! Brownie sugar cookies? How does one part with these? 😉 I need to make a batch of these stat! Great cookies, Sarah!
Sarah says
It was super-hard, lemme tell ‘ya! LOL. I need to make them again though asap. 😉 Thanks so much Julie!
Ashley says
haha oh gosh I feel the same way about this weekend – I need another weekend to recover! But there’s too much to do, so onward!
Loveee the sound of these cookies – they are so pretty too!
Sarah says
Right?! We demand another weekend immediately following our crazy weekend! LOL.
Thanks Ashley! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
I’ve always wanted to do the cookie swap! It sounds so fun! Would have loved to receive these brownie sugar cookies, yum!
Sarah says
You should definitely plan on doing the cookie swap next year, Natalie! It’s seriously so much fun! 🙂